COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: “Dreams is a magical place”

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - A non-profit organization strives to find the artist in children and teach them skills they can use well beyond their childhood.

That’s the mission of the Dreams Center for Art Education.

“Dreams is a magical place,” says Amy Jeffrey, Interim Executive Director of the Dreams Center for Art Education. “It’s a place for all kids ages eight to 17 to come explore creative expressions of their talents.”

The Dreams Center, located at 901 Fanning St., provides art classes, music lessons, pottery making classes, just to name a few. It’s open to all children at no cost.

“Dreams is 100% tuition-free to all kids who needs us, and we like to explore the arts to achieve the objectives of creative youth development here,” Jeffrey says. “It’s a place for them to build confidence and have family and community engagement.”

Liz Wells, the program director at Dreams says watching how children grow once they enter the program is phenomenal.

“They blossom,” Wells says. “They didn’t know they could play the drums because a drum has never been presented to them. They didn’t know they could do water colors because before Dreams, they didn’t have an experience with water colors. So when you open up these new pathways for students, who knows what other doors are opening.”

The Dreams Center currently holds 25 classes a week. Those classes include American sign language, dance, yoga — even comic book making and photography.

Jeffrey says the organization depends on donations. Some donors contribute once a month. Others make a one-time donation.

“We are a non-profit and just like probably every non-profit in the world right now, we’ve had a tough couple of years,” Jeffrey says. “The best way to donate is to come by, take a tour of Dreams, get to know us. Let us share this magic with you. We have so many alumni who come back and tell us, ‘Because of Dreams, I’m doing this. Because of Dreams, I’m going to college. Because of Dreams, I’ve enrolled in the military.’ Or finding a career that really gives them joy and fulfillment, and that’s what keeps us going.”

If you would like to make a donation to the Dreams Center for Art Education, click here. You can also mail a check to 901 Fanning St., Wilmington.

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