The Marion community supports youth in their various artistic journeys through organizations such as the Community School of the Arts and the Marion Art Commission.

Dawn Conwell, president of the board for the Marion Art Commission, said, “We are partnering with the city of Marion to establish the arts and cultural district for Marion.”

Conwell said that she has always loved art, but she stepped away from her passion due to life circumstances. When she was homeschooling her son, she attended a painting class that rekindled her love for art. 

Her son turned his artistic passion into a career as a published author and illustrator.

“People don’t look at (art) as a career, and we want kids to know that you can have a career in art. There are a lot of different avenues in creative careers…I wish could’ve done that at some point, but my journey took a different turn. I want people to know that they can do it full-time,” Conwell said.

The Community School of the Arts partners with Marion High School to create a program called CSA Arts Academy, which provides young students the opportunity to further their art education. 

Shelly Inskeep, executive director at CSA, said Academy students have nontraditional schedules where they fulfill their academic requirements at the high school, but receive art credit from CSA. Many students who participate in the Academy attend art schools afterward. 

Inskeep said one student went to Julliard for dance. Inskeep’s daughter is currently attending the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. 

“Experiencing the arts teaches you about collaboration and being in community in a really unique way, which makes you a fuller person,” Inskeep said. “It is building a lot of skills that they are going to use in life no matter what they end up doing.”

Isaiah Alexander, a student at CSA, said, “(Art) has helped me see myself almost outside of myself, so I feel a little bit more aware of the things that I say or even how I act around people.”

Alexander said that sometimes people view art as invaluable, or they stereotype the people who do.

 “But I would argue back that everybody enjoys entertainment and partially art serves as entertainment for people. So, even if you’re not an artist, you can enjoy the art that other people have put out there.” Alexander said, “But I also would like to tell those people that for the artists themselves, it means a whole lot more than just doing something for fun, and it actually has connections to real-life situations that we go through every day.”

The Excel Center is an organization started by Goodwill that provides free high school education for adults. The Marion location opened in April 2024.

This program helps adult students resume their high school education and receive their high school diploma.  

Antonio Martinez, a current student at the Excel Center, said “I love the program and the way they help you. They want to see you succeed.” 

Martinez originally stopped school to raise his kids. He chose to go back to pursue his aspirations of getting a diploma and attending college.

“It’s not just about the education part. It’s about the whole wrap-around service approach,” Director Jenny Grant said.

The Excel Center is open to anyone 17 and older who does not have a high school diploma. Grant said that the goal of the open house was to remind the community that the Excel Center is here for students whenever they are ready.

Life coach Jennifer Cappoli said many students have responsibilities that can deter them from obtaining their diplomas. Cappoli acts as a guidance counselor, therapist and resource provider for students. 

“We’ll help as much as we can to fill those gaps to keep them attending,” Cappoli said. 

In order to fill gaps, the center offers free childcare, transportation assistance, life coaches and career services. They are also in the process of developing a relationship with Second Harvest Food Bank to provide more resources to their students. 

The Excel Center holds classes Monday through Thursday, and students can fit them around their schedules. They operate as an accelerated program, and each semester is eight weeks.