New Executive Director of Arts & Scraps is STEAM-Driven
It was a winding road that brought Tatiana Hull to her current role as Executive Director of Arts & Scraps. When she was in high school, she says, young Black girls with an interest in math were steered into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering) careers. But after following the curriculum toward an engineering degree for several years, she realized that her real passion lay in the arts. She changed her major and eventually earned a Master’s degree in Performing Arts.
Fast forward a few years, and Tatiana has found a way to meld the arts and sciences through her work at Arts & Scraps, where she began as a programs manager in the summer of 2022. “I’ve always gravitated to mission-drive work,” she says, “so I’ve always worked around non-profits.”
Tatiana is well-aligned with Arts & Scraps’ 37- year mission to promote sustainability and community through arts and crafts programs, using recycled materials. Their program isn’t just about keeping kids entertained; they educate by following the STEAM model (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).
“STEAM and STEM are intertwined,” says Tatiana, “because it’s all about creative thinking and problem solving, whether you’re working with the arts or with systems. She explains it this way:
“If we want (the kids) to design a fish, we don’t come with a fish-shaped cutout, we come with our scraps and say ‘Design me a fish. Tell me about its environment.’ We’re teaching them the scientific concepts of ecosystems. We want them to take ownership of the process. Sometimes the outcome is something you wouldn’t expect.”
She might ask a child creating an alien from industrial scraps, “Tell me why you designed your alien this way. What are the things on this planet that your creature needs to survive?”
Arts & Scraps is in the process of “developing (our) entire programmatic framework,” according to Tatiana. Some tried-and-true programs will continue, including the Family Drop-In sessions on Saturdays from 1-4 p.m., with the first 20 families getting a small bag of free materials from the Community Store. There’s also the Creative Café for adults, from 12-3 p.m. on the second Friday of the month. And they’re bringing back Fieldtrip Fridays, when schools bring a class in for lessons.
In addition to the single-session workshops, they’re moving toward extended programming, going into another organization’s space for 4-8 weeks to do a cohort of lessons around a single subject, like transportation – exploring different types of transportation, fuels, etc. They’ve partnered with the Detroit public schools, Brilliant Detroit, the Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs, and Alternatives for Girls, and are hoping to expand the number of partnerships this year.
“Our primary audience is 3 to 5 grade, although we can do some pre-kindergarten through 6 grade. We want to expand to middle school in the coming years.”
One of the biggest challenges for 2026, Tatiana says, will be working through their needs for physical space for classes, supplies, and a staff of four full-time and twelve part-time employees. Last year they discussed moving to another larger space, but that’s been put on hold for now. “We love this community,” says Tatiana.
If you haven’t already been to Arts &Scraps, located in Morningside on Harper at Bedford, make it a New Year’s resolution to visit during their Community Store hours, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. You may unleash your own creativity. Check out their website for more information.
