Creativity Shell to Build Costume Design Center for Schools and Community Theater Programs – Will Employ Human Trafficking Survivors, Homeless and Autistic Youths to Make Costumes.

In their continuing effort to find creative ways to educate and inspire the next generation of makers, the Creativity Shell is launching their first capital campaign to create a one stop Costume Design Center (CDCr) that will provide costume design and production services for middle school, high school and community theater programs.

Founded in 2015, the Creativity Shell is a non-profit organization that teaches sewing/textile arts and other creative trades to children in their private studios, schools, community centers, libraries as well as shelters that rescue children from homelessness and human trafficking.  Their programs are designed to educate and inspire children while teaching essential life and practical skills at the same time.

“Sewing and textile arts is becoming a dying art” Says Shelancia Daniel, Creative Director at the Creativity Shell.  “The decline in sewing has caused a rippling effect in costume production services for theatrical programs. Small theaters especially, lack the funding necessary to bring their productions to life and the few parents and volunteers available to help are being stretched extra thin with the necessary workload.  The Creativity Shell CDCr will provide a capable staff that can design, sew, mend and provide any other costume services that small theater programs need.” Added Daniel

Participating schools and theatrical programs will have the opportunity to obtain a membership to the Creativity Shell CDCr and this membership will give them access to costume design and production services for multiple productions annually.  The CDCr will also be used to collect used dance costumes from companies and parents willing to donate them after recitals and performances. Dance costumes can be rented out to programs servicing low-income families who do not have the means to pay for new costumes.

Students enrolled in Creativity Shell programs are also being trained with the necessary skills needed to work in the CDCr.  Due to the positive experience the Creativity Shell has gained from working with human trafficking survivors, autistic and homeless youths; the organization is also hoping to hire these students to work in the CDCr once it’s opened.

The Creativity Shell is planning to have the CDCr up and running by September 2021. To make this CDC a reality, the organization needs to raise $7.5 million dollars to cover the five development phases of their project (Exploratory, Purchasing, Renovating, Inventory and Production.)

Once opened, Creativity Shell CDCr will be the first of its kind in the nation. The CDCr will also be open to school groups for tours where students can help to mend costumes, sew buttons, dye fabrics and other fun jobs that are educational as well as necessary for many different small theatrical productions across the City of Houston.

The exploratory phase begins in January 2020 and the Creativity Shell is looking for 20 middle schools, high schools or community theater programs that want to be considered a beneficiary from the Creativity Shell CDCr. Please contact sdaniel@creativityshell.org if you would like to be on the list. The Creativity Shell also plans to hire a part-time costume designer to oversee operations of adding costumes to the CDC as well as a Database architect to collect and store costume and logistic data.

For those of you worried about the Creativity Shell CDCr replacing regular Creativity Shell sewing/textile arts classes, the organization also plans to expand their programs.  The Creativity Shell will continue teaching classes in local schools, community centers, shelters, their Kingwood Studio, Museum District Club House, their mobile studios Jerry and Sherry, and we have heard rumors of a Baby Bus arriving in 2020. As the Creativity Shell continues to teach classes to children and youths, they are creating a workforce that will provide a much-needed service to theater programs across the greater Houston area.

If you would like to donate to the Creativity Shell Costume Design Center, there are many options available:

$25 – Donor will receive a special “Thank you” card.
$50 – Donor will receive a “Save Creativity” T-Shirt
$100 – Donor will receive a Shout out via Email and Facebook!
$300 – Donor will receive a custom tile once the CDCr is Open!
$500 – Donor will receive a name recognition on a sewing machine in the CDCr.
$1200 – Donor will receive a custom brick on the floor of the CDCr once opened.
$2500 – Donor will receive a special plaque on the wall of the CDCr once opened.
$5,000 – Donor will be honored on a special quilt being made for the CDCr once opened.

For donations of $5000 or more, please contact us:
$1,000,000 – Naming Rights to the Creativity Shell Costume Design Center Sewing Room.
$2,500,000 – Naming Rights to the Creativity Shell Costume Design Center Inventory Room.
$5,000,000 – Naming Rights to the Creativity Shell Costume Design Center Building.