Bad Dog Arts is an artist run non-profit arts organization located in downtown Salt Lake City. Bad Dog Arts provides programs for youth, teens, adults and seniors in our community by creating a safe space to engage in confidence-building and highly creative activities in the studio, in the classroom, and across the Salt Lake Valley. At Bad Dog we believe art reflects what is possible and that art can inspire and challenge young people to discover their potential and strive for excellence in all facets of their lives.
Directors Michael Moonbird and Victoria Lyons created Bad Dog Arts in 1997, by imagining an incredible place for youth of all ages to experience their fullest potential. The character “Bad Dog” is a childlike image from Moonbird’s personal art that represents marginalized segments of society. “Bad Dog” is shown in a variety of settings, exploring the country and making it his own. Children and teens relate to “Bad Dog” because, like him, they are often negatively labeled as they struggle to understand themselves and the adult world. Our program provides guidance and support to young people as they “Rediscover America and the World” by using their own creative wisdom to navigate their ever-changing environments.
MISSION To inspire kids, teens, adults and seniors from all cultures to experience the power and freedom to imagine, dare, and create new possibilities, individually and collaboratively, through the creative arts.
MANTRA Imagine Dare Create
VISION Bad Dog Arts envisions a world where kids, teens, adults and seniors from diverse cultures help create and share new possibilities that inspire and transform their lives and communities through art.
INTEGRATED ARTS Bad Dog Arts has taken a keen interest in integrating and strengthening its arts disciplines in all of its program areas which include Bad Dog Studio, In-School Arts Learning, Community Outreach, and Teen Studio Program.
This integrated arts approach is helping students gain attributes like: • Building self-confidence and increasing self-esteem • Responsibility and commitment to fulfilling obligations • Planning and implementation of a project, beginning to end • Teamwork and collaboration • Ability to work through a learning curve, building skills over time • Innovative and creative thinking • Idea generation and conceptualization • Ability to revise and redesign • Application of math, physics, pattern, design, and visual literacy • Reflective and evaluative abilities • Communication skills
Bad Dog Arts ideas integrate many arts disciplines and helps students of all ages and skill levels to foster powerful creative ingredients that can further them in college, work, and future lifelong learning.
Bad Dog Arts Integrated Arts Learning Strategies have many practical applications that will enhance every students education and creative aspirations.