Karl Morris, Building Community Through The Arts
By KYW community affairs reporter Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (CBS) -- A mail carrier by day, Karl Morris has a passion that consumes the rest of his life: the arts.
"Since I was a kid, I was in and out of galleries all day long," he says. "I love visual art, musical art."
So, two years ago, he founded the Urban Art Gallery, on South 52nd Street, between Locust and Spruce, in West Philadelphia.
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It started as a place to give young people a place to showcase their work, but quickly expanded.
"We became an umbrella of the arts," Morris says proudly.
Now, UAG hosts comedy, music, and poetry showcases, and has developed free programming for kids.
One is called Chess Chat.
"It's a mentoring program for chess, as well as to teach them different strategies for life," Morris explains.
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Urban Art Gallery also hosts youth art workshops and free music training. This summer, the focus is on violin.
"It's, like, Violin 101," says Morris. The program starts later this month.
Morris says he pays for the programs out of his own pocket, and through fundraising. The gallery's reach has expanded to hundreds in the community, and continues to grow.
"Every time I see their faces glow," Morris says, "I just want to do more and more."
Hear the extended interview with Karl Morris in this CBS Philly podcast (runs 9:54)...
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