The McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX

​Point #10 From the Mud Manifesto
Mud is mud no matter if it is concrete or clay.  

The first exhibition, Mud is Mud, was constructed to bring awareness to the national statistics of homeless LGBTQ+ youth, bridge connections between Dallas/Fort Worth LGBTQ+ youth and DFW art communities, and raise funds for Youth First, a program of the Dallas Resource Center. Youth First is one of the only LGBTQ+ focused youth programs in North Texas and provides life skills through educational, recreational, and behavioral health services. Serving middle and high school aged youth, 12-18 years old, Youth First equips them with the tools and resources they need to lead authentic lives. Family ties are strengthened, peer support networks are built and mental health is supported through activities that build confidence and address the specific issues that LGBTQ teens face during their critical and formative years. In addition, Youth First provides programming and resources for parents and families.

Mud is Mud, was launched in conjunction with the McKinney Avenue Contemporary’s New Urban Landscape Series. The exhibition was made possible by the MAC, 4 ACRE Press, Wild Pony Editions, The University of Texas Arlington Glass Department, and about a dozen additional artists who donated their time and skills.

Workshops related to this exhibition were conducted within Youth First's programing.

Youth First: https://www.rcdallas.org/what-we-do/community/youth-first
The University of Texas Arlington Glass Department: https://www.uta.edu/art/undergraduate/glass
The MAC: http://the-mac.org
4 ACRE Press: http://www.sydwebbstudios.com/our-story/