Hundreds of pigs (725 in all), 30 million hits on eBay, $859,000 for charity. By most measures last summer's Big Pig Gig staged by ArtWorks, a job-training program for Greater Cincinnati teens, was wildly popular. And it gave ArtWorks a big boost.

        Tamara Harkavy, ArtWorks executive director, couldn't agree more.

        “The pigs helped us to create an endowment and the ability to generate income with the merchandise we sold,” she says.

        This summer, their attention is focused solely on their main job: giving 200 more young artists the ability to work, learn and earn a wage in a summer job.

        Each weekday morning, ArtWorks job trainees gather under large tents in Eden Park to work on assigned projects: puppets, park benches, a mosaic.

        They are designing and decorating totem poles. Drummers and dance teachers are helping the teens to design and produce a performance. They are creating hats, scarves, bags using the traditional Japanese method of shabori tie dying. They are discussing image, racism, sexism, classism to create videos and write poetry and editorials.

        “The kids are producing incredible art,” Ms. Harkavy says.

        The mosaic group created a design for the floor of a bus shelter near Cincinnati Art Museum. Spec drawings were presented at a Cincinnati Parks Board meeting.

        “These 14-year-old kids stood up and did a presentation for the board. They were extremely eloquent,” Ms. Harkavy says. The board approved the plan, and the floor is scheduled for installation in the next few weeks.

        In its six years of operation, ArtWorks has offered job training to more than 800 Greater Cincinnati teens. This summer, the program runs June 18-Aug. 10 at the old ballpark below Mirror Lake.

        The ArtWorks staff of professional artists, arts students and future art teachers tries to create an environment that closely mirrors real-life work situations, Ms. Harkavy says. Attention is paid to proper dress, work hours, work rules and job evaluations.

        Participants come from the inner city and the suburbs. Some are leaders of their schools, others are athletes and some are challenged with physical and mental disabilities. The ArtWorks organization emphasizes diversity. Ms. Harkavy says job apprentices are a mirror of our future workplaces. They work 20 hours a week and are paid $5.15 an hour.

        The enthusiasm generated by the pigs has diminished somewhat because of the civil unrest. Bringing a diverse group of young people together was more challenging this year.

        There always is an adjustment period, says Betsy Reeves, the summer program director. This year, it didn't take long for discussions to begin. “We had some very interesting dialogue this year. One of the project presentations for community justice was very honest.”

        Ms. Reeves says as the weeks pass, participants find others that share their own interests and passions. At the end of the program in past years, some trainees have formed lasting friendships.

        “It definitely was a dream job. It was a very positive experience,” says Ioanna Paraskevopoulos, an apprentice six years ago who stays in touch with ArtWorks friends.

        The artwork made by the apprentices is for sale at the Eden Park site.

        “We love urban beautification and leaving lasting testaments,” Ms. Harkavy says.

        For more information about ArtWorks, call 333-0388.

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