Are you ready for the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT?

A New Chapter Begins: Partnering with Forest Warren Hi-Ed Council

We are thrilled to share an important milestone in our journey. The agreement has officially been signed, the keys are in hand, and we are stepping into a new chapter—our new space—through our partnership with the Forest Warren Hi-Ed Council.

This collaboration represents more than just a new location; it is a strategic alignment rooted in shared values: access, opportunity, creativity, and lifelong learning.

Expanding Access to Arts & Enrichment

Through this partnership, Create Community will now offer art classes within Hi-Ed’s space—supporting and enhancing the personal enrichment opportunities that Hi-Ed already provides. Hi-Ed has established a strong foundation in educational advancement, workforce readiness, and individual development. By delivering our programming through their site, we are complementing that foundation with structured creative experiences that deepen engagement and expand access to the arts.

Hi-Ed has long created pathways for adults to strengthen skills, earn credentials, and pursue personal growth. Create Community’s arts programming will now operate alongside and in support of those efforts—reinforcing confidence, creative problem-solving, and community connection as integral components of lifelong learning. Together, we are aligning artistic exploration with existing enrichment services to provide a more comprehensive, community-centered approach to individual development.

Strengthening Youth Leadership Through Experiential Learning

Our collaboration with Hi-Ed is already in motion. Create Community has been working alongside Hi-Ed through their Youth Leadership class, integrating experiential learning opportunities in partnership with the Warren County YMCA.

Youth participants have been actively engaged in designing, planning, and implementing a community-based project—moving from concept to execution through hands-on leadership development. This work will culminate in their Remake Learning Days event on May 16 at the Warren YMCA, where students will showcase their efforts and engage the broader community.

This initiative reflects the power of applied learning: equipping young people not just with ideas, but with the skills, confidence, and collaborative experience necessary to lead.

More Than Shared Space

This is not simply about square footage. It is about synergy.

Art education supports cognitive flexibility, emotional wellness, and problem-solving skills—assets that complement Hi-Ed’s mission. Together, we are cultivating an environment where individuals can work toward academic, professional, and personal goals while also engaging their creative capacities.

For our community, this means:

• Greater access to affordable arts programming

• Increased visibility for creative opportunities

• A welcoming, centralized space for learning and connection

• Stronger collaboration between education and the arts

Building Community Through Collaboration

Partnerships like this are how sustainable community development happens. When organizations share resources and align missions, the impact multiplies. We are proud to stand alongside Forest Warren Hi-Ed Council in creating a space that supports growth in many forms—academic, economic, and creative.

As we settle into our new office and begin offering classes in this shared space, we look forward to welcoming both familiar faces and new participants who may discover Create Community through Hi-Ed’s programs.

This is a meaningful step forward—and just the beginning of what we can build together.

Stay tuned for upcoming class announcements. We cannot wait to open the doors and create alongside you.