OUTREACH
By forging enduring alliances with local organizations, businesses, and like-minded groups, VISITING ARTISTS expands and enriches the lives of those in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, assisted living facilities, who might be home-bound and/or bed-bound, by means of a unique creative-caregiving methodology, outreach and training program, incorporating time-honored creative techniques and research-backed creative practices.
Past and ongoing alliances and synergistic partnerships created and developed by VISITING ARTISTS include:
AMERICAN FOLK ART MUSEUM
In association with an educator from the American Folk Art Museum, in her role as Activities Director, Vanessa Daou established a dynamic collage-making, material-based class, exploring texture, pattern, rhythm, and principles of chance.
BOMBAS
Through her outreach efforts, eloquently written proposals, thorough needs-assessments, and extensive emails, advocating to be part of BOMBAS’ gift-giving program, BOMBAS awarded not only the residence, but, 3,000+ socks and briefs, enough to be distributed to the entire organization of 27 buildings.
LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
After a series of visits to the nearby LUSH store on Broadway, and impassioned discussions with LUSH employees — each and all, emissaries for the company’s intrinsic do-good ethos — Vanessa Daou established a robust soap-giving program with LUSH, which enabled weekly wellness classes with residents, focused on self-care, self-discovery, and self-love..
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY, St. Agnes Branch
Following a series of at-length, deep-dive discussions, brainstorms, and meetings with supervising librarians, Vanessa Daou designed and developed an adult color-in book drawing program, quarterly exhibition & publication.
SHAKESPEARE & CO. BOOKSELLERS
Following her outreach to Shakespeare & Co, Booksellers nearby, Vanessa Daou established an ongoing book-giving program, which provided the residents with a plethora of reading material during the challenging years of Covid-19 isolation and lockdowns.
TRADER JOE’S
After noticing boxes of discarded plants and flowers, Vanessa Daou crafted an impassioned appeal to Trader Joe’s, arguing that their discards would provide welcomed greenery to the frail and elderly population a few blocks away, as well as benefit Trader Joe’s by means of converting what would have been lost revenue into 501(C) deductible charitable donations.
