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Mental Health Awareness Month in May focuses on reducing stigma and promoting well-being, with art serving as a powerful, non-verbal tool for healing, expression, and stress reduction. Art school franchises are crucial because they offer accessible, community-based spaces for creative outlets, helping children and adults build resilience, manage emotions, and foster mental wellness. Why Art…
My personal journey of raising a severely disabled child born 30 years ago with Autism has been so complicated. But, in many ways it has also been a blessing because it taught me more than anything else about the fragile nature of life and my need to adapt to things that were beyond my control….
Over a decade ago, I met the artist JJ Manford and his artwork struck a chord with me. One River School was still in its early days, and I had this idea that was centered around “Teaching Through the Lens of Living Artists”. I remember doing a studio visit with him in 2014 when JJ was…
People often ask me how I was able to write a book and the most frequent answer I give is: “I just did it”. I wasn’t looking for perfection; I was simply looking to tell a story that I had in my mind and do the best that I could. So, when people tell me…
Enjoying original works of art in a gallery can relieve stress, reduce the risk of heart disease and boost your immune system, according to the first study of its kind. The study, led by King’s College London, involved 50 people aged between 18 and 40 in the UK. Half viewed original artwork at the Courtauld Gallery…
Families, Teens and Adults are not just looking for “activities” anymore. They are seeking creative outlets with safe social interaction and a connection. Art classes offer all of that in an expressive and therapeutic way. There is a high demand for Creative Education. Parents are increasingly seeking out STEM-to-STEAM education and extracurricular art programs. “Creativity…
Last night I watched the opening monologue of the Oscars and Conan O’Brien spoke about the process of making art and its connection to optimism. I could relate to this on so many levels because I have watched students get lost in the “process of making” for over twenty years and there is something so…
We always enter the new year with a tremendous amount of “to do’s” and self-improvement goals, and then we get stuck with the reality of our busy lives. So, I want to suggest a new way to approach the idea of “spring cleaning”. Look at your list from January and reset it right now so…
I’ve been in franchise development for over 15 years. I’ve walked hundreds of candidates through the discovery processes across dozens of brands and industries. And I can tell you: they all start the same way. Unit economics. Market projections. Competitive analysis. The numbers have to work—no question about it. At the same time I am…
One River School exists because of a commitment Matt Ross has made to the arts: creating meaningful careers for artists, expanding access to high-quality art education, and building a company grounded in purpose. “Grow or Fold” tells the origin story of One River and the values that continue to guide how we operate today. The gathering…