Shaymar Higgs’ goal was to arrange a three-week pop-up art space and to determine if it spurred any real interest in the community. With the support and assistance of Quantum Companies and its then liaison at Beltway Plaza, Kap Kapastin, Higgs gained free access to a vacant space. The demand was instantaneous, and the artistic resources and services expanded exponentially. For Higgs, The SPACE – (Sharing Positive, Artistic and Creative Energies), Free Art For All, is a creative place where the community can unite, heal and share, leading to self-discovery and transformation.
The concept for The SPACE Free Art For All evolved from the Peerless Creative Arts and Resources Center that Higgs and friends started in Clinton, Md. When he moved to Franklin Park and walked through Beltway Plaza, he saw individuals sketching and others just hanging around and realized that there was a need for a creative outlet in Greenbelt West. Most of the Greenbelt art and creative programs were centered in Old Greenbelt and many individuals lacked the financial means and/or transportation to get there.
Mission
According to Higgs, the arts are the foundation of human connectivity; they create culture and help to bind community. The SPACE is about building human relationships and helping people see their potential as creatives, entrepreneurs and community leaders. His mission, according to a grant document, is to provide underserved communities with high quality art supplies, materials, skills, career development and individualized growth.
Programs
Community needs were revealed by the number of individuals who came to The SPACE. What Higgs had not anticipated was how The SPACE met the personal wellness needs of young people from the community. Youth came to find a safe place to learn, to relax, to meditate or just to rest. The programs offered include photography, painting and sewing. One goal is to show, especially young people, that they could use the Entrepreneur Lab (ELab), a new program, to be trained for marketable skills such as 3D printing, laser engraving, video production, AI arts creation and customized clothing with custom-designed vinyl transfers. Other offerings include free clothing and a book market.
Testimonials
Indalyn was your typical introverted, socially awkward teenager when she arrived at The SPACE which she says redirected her life’s purpose because Higgs had filled that environment with so much love and acceptance. He was able to help her see possibilities for her future that she had not considered before. Indalyn became serious about learning photography. For her, the growth of The SPACE means that anything is possible. Today, she is leading the new Aperture Crew Videography program, described below.
Sadibu, a work-study student at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, needed a service assignment but was rejected by every place he applied in Greenbelt. He saw a flyer for The SPACE and came to ask if he could volunteer. Higgs took him on as both volunteer and a mentee. Through the months and years that he spent with The SPACE, Sadibu became more confident and went from being a silent observer to a leader.
He has learned to use 3D printers and Tinker CAD, and created a pin in memory of former City Councilmember Ric Gordon. Sadibu plans to be a comic book writer and is developing his own comic series on a character called Young Blood. The first of two series are awaiting an official copyright letter and will be published in 2025.
Bob Rand, who joined The SPACE as a board member in November 2022, was inspired to support The SPACE by Higgs’ vision. He sees Higgs as an important local leader who knows how to create community where it is most needed and offer opportunities for personal discovery and growth. Rand loves being part of The SPACE crew helping the nonprofit grow, and looks forward to maintaining regular arts and wellness programming in 2025 and expanding the new Artrepreneur program.
Current Programs
Revolutionary self-care includes yoga and mindfulness. Classes are free to the community and include sewing, knitting, crocheting, ukulele, keyboarding, guitar, jam sessions to connect musicians, Friday night FAFA gaming and expressive art workshops.
A new workforce development center in the Third Space Lounge is partnering with the City of Greenbelt and Employ Prince George’s to offer support and training for career development.
Another program in the works is Aperture Crew Videography. Indalyn and youth interns from Kingsmen Academy in northeast Washington will run this program. Through Aperture youth make videos about the various types of work that are done every day in the community, and that help to sustain a city, allowing young people to see that there are all types of jobs in the community; however, to work one must be able to read, write, think and create.
The SPACE provides opportunities and hope for a better life.
The lives of local residents have been transformed through their association with Higgs and The SPACE.