Our Vision
The vision of The Manning Avenue Free Studio (MAFS) Art Project is to create an inclusive, safe haven for Artists, at risk Children, Youth and Adults to learn, value and create Art as a means to heal, inspire, challenge and build equity in the South Sumter Community and surrounding areas.
Our Mission
The Manning Avenue Free Studio (MAFS) Art Project has a two-fold mission:
~To educate and build a lifelong appreciation for Art, Creativity and Craftsmanship.
~To provide person centered Art Programs, Job Training & Placement and Behavioral Health Support, all within a Cultural Center housing a legacy of work by renowned Artist/Sculptor, David “Pablo” Sanders.
Our Legacy
The Late David "Pablo" Sanders, Artist & Sculptor
The Manning Avenue Free Studio is a historical endeavor founded and curated in 1976 by the late David “Pablo” Sanders, a local yet renowned Artist and Sculptor. David attended Boylan-Haven-Mather Academy (Camden SC); matriculated at Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia; received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Morris College; engaged in Advanced Studies in Art Education at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York; and further studies at the University of South Carolina.
David taught at Lincoln High School, Morris College, and the S.C. Arts Commission for the Arts in Prison and Arts in Motion Programs. His humanitarian services included: Board membership with Sumter School District 17, the Sumter Artists Guild, and the Sumter County Cultural Commission. David was the initiator of the Annual Festival on the Avenue, a celebration of Black business, life and culture in South Sumter and was founder of the South Sumter Community Project through the Manning Avenue Free Art Studio, where he mentored many aspiring young people who later became acclaimed artists.
David passed away on May 24, 2018, after battling a long period of illness. He continues to inspire Artists throughout the country and across the world through his legacy of mentoring, body of creative work and community service. The Manning Avenue Free Studio Art Project is a tribute to his legacy in the Sumter Community.
The Park at MAFS
Outdoor Art Exhibits, Classes, Cultural Events and Gatherings
In compliance with CDC safety standards for public and private events...Art heals.
The Manning Avenue Free Studio (MAFS) Art Project
Program Goals
“Art and culture are essential for building a community, supporting development, nurturing health and well-being, and contributing to economic opportunity. Collectively, art and culture enable understanding of the past and envisioning of a shared, more equitable future. In disinvested communities, art and culture act as tools for community development, shaping infrastructure…and other core amenities. In communities of color and low-income communities, art and culture contribute to strengthening cultural identity, healing trauma, and fostering a shared vision for community.” (PolicyLink.org - a national research and action institute advancing economic and social equity). Across the United States, growing movements are focusing on equitable development and community-centered art and culture are uniting to strengthen the equity impact of their work.
The Manning Avenue Free Studio (MAFS) Art Project in Sumter, South Carolina is aligned with this concept and designed program goals that will build a bridge between Art and Culture, Workforce Development and Behavioral Health Supports needed and required in a community whose growth has been stunted by poverty, crime, substance misuse, unemployment/under-employment and neglect.
A Message from our Director, Ivan T. Sanders, LMSW
Re-Defining Possibilities. It is with this belief that I set out on a journey to re-establish the Manning Avenue Free Studio (MAFS), in memory of my earthly father, David “Pablo” Sanders and in honor of my heavenly Father, who grants us grace and mercy, redemption and restoration and the power of possibilities to change lives, uplift our community and create clear paths to success for the next generation.
Our mission and vision for the Manning Avenue Free Studio creates a bridge to connect the love and healing power of Art with economic development, community empowerment and human sustainability. The needs present in our community today and across the world are complex and deeply interconnected; it takes a team of results driven, intentional stewards to unite and work on one accord to overcome these challenges. I’m forever thankful for our dedicated MAFS Board of Directors that bring fresh fire to every task and intentional faith to every decision that lay before us.
Our approach to Art and Community is holistic; characterized by the treatment of the whole person by acknowledging mental and social factors that impact progress. We value collaborations with individuals and other organizations to address these barriers and share resources. We warmly welcome you to a seat at the MAFS table for an open discussion or brainstorming session on how we can work together as partners in peace, productivity and performance.
It’s a new day for the Manning Avenue Free Studio! We’re meeting challenges as we achieve every milestone, yet my faith is strong, our plan is solid and I’m both honored and grateful for this opportunity to serve my community.
God Bless!
Ivan
Our Board of Directors
Allen Bailey
Owner/CEO, Sumter Trophy Shop
Cornelius Mack
Licensed Contractor; United States Army (Ret.)
James T. McCain, Jr.
Sumter County Councilman
Cole Gardner Miller
Curator, Sumter Gallery of Art
Beverly A. Montgomery
Clinical Counselor/Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS), Lifeworks (U.S.)
Lana Odom
Grants Consultant; Director, South Sumter Resource Center (Ret.)
John K. Pringle
Federal IT Specialist; U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force (Ret.)
Pedro Washington
Guidance Counselor and Athletic Director, Sumter County School District
Karen Watson
Director, Sumter Gallery of Art
