Kenneth Wampler spent a decade working within the HIV/AIDS community before establishing the Alpha Workshops in 1995. The non-profit provides training in the decorative arts for adults living with the disease and employment for its graduates. The initiative was created to, “give men and women a place where they could forget the disease, their pain, and their troubles,” Wampler said. “Art has a way of letting people do this.” We caught up with him to learn more about the school, and the shop, and Alpha’s aim to add a little beauty to the world.

Why was it important to start Alpha?

It’s a place where HIV is neither a secret nor a focus. From the beginning, Alpha was one of a new wave of HIV/AIDS organizations focused on life enhancement — rather than merely life support. Our mission is to have students grow, learn, and find new sources of pride and satisfaction in life. We believe that everyone has this potential.

How does Alpha help?

Our structured programming is dedicated to the needs of the community, offering a new chance at a career to this vulnerable population. Most of our students (about 85%) come to us with three or more barriers to employment, including living under the poverty line, the long-term depression often associated with chronic illness, insecure housing, and numerous other health issues. Alpha is a safe space, where they reconnect with the community and are supported as they begin their journey back into a meaningful and fulfilling life.

What makes the Studio School special?

It provides education and job training, teaching marketable artistic techniques. In an age of technology and factory-made furniture, we’re training a new generation of decorative artists and keeping alive centuries-old, traditional techniques.

Why is funding so essential?

Our students have never paid a penny for our programs. We provide our 10-week Introductory course and 26-week Advanced Decorative Arts Techniques course completely free of charge. We have a $2 million budget, with over 85% going directly to programming.

Before the 2008 recession, Alpha received about $350,000 a year in government funding. In 2016, it looks like we’ll receive about $50,000 total. Although this shows signs of improving, [this year] has seen over 90% of our students and programming funded through private and corporate donations. So we now count on grants, like the tremendous two-year grant given by the CFDA, which provides funding for 10 students over the next two years. They will be with Alpha for 36 weeks and then move on to our alumni program.

What is your hope for the future of Alpha?

This year, we’ve started creating partnerships to expand our services to other vulnerable populations, including LGBTQ students and youth on the autism spectrum.

My hope is that we will continue serving New York City’s most vulnerable populations, and that we will continue to live by our tagline: Creating Beauty. Changing Lives.