Aunt Lou’s House
Aunt Lou’s House - Nakia
Aunt Lou’s House - 2018
Established in 2018, this little house is devoted to our educational programs. We currently offer STEAM activities, reading groups, and game days as part of our academic programs. This space also makes technology available to neighbors, including computers, printers, and wifi. Outdoor tutoring rooms were designed and built to extend the indoor space in partnership with the University of Memphis Architecture Department.
Aunt Lou's House was developed through a need identified by community members: educational support and access to technology. With the help from a generous donor to purchase and rehab this property, we began with daily homework help, and these programs grew into various educational activities. Over the years, this includes book club, newspaper club, homework help, SAT prep, "emoji" club, adult reading/writing workshops, and even a science fair!
A regular need from the Art Garden is access to technology. We saw a considerable increase during the pandemic as families applied for assistance programs. If individuals cannot travel to the library, they may not have access to the technology required to participate in society. CAG offers computer access, a printer, the ability to scan documents, and free wifi.
Outdoor classrooms were built with AIAS Design + Build Studio through the University of Memphis. These outdoor spaces doubled our participation capacity from the single 700-square-foot house.
Several U of M Department of Architecture projects can be found around CAG, including enhancements to the red stage and hammock buildings in the Art Garden, the garden pavilion in the East Community Garden, and the sailboat-inspired sandbox that was added in 2019 to the Art Garden.
