Museum Art Clubs Engage Youth Over the Summer Months

Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn University will offer three different youth art programs from the end of May to the beginning of August, with a break in classes for Independence Day on July 5 and 6. “State of Create” is geared towards rising seventh through 12th grade students and meets Fridays beginning May 24 through August 9 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 pm; “ArtyPants” is designed for rising kindergarten through second graders beginning May 25 through August 10 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; and “stART!” caters to rising third through sixth graders from May 25 through August 10 from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. A City of Auburn K-12 Arts Education Outreach Grant and museum members support these free education programs.

Andrew Henley, the museum’s curator of education for K-12, oversees the museum’s regular Art Clubs during the academic year and these expanded summer programs. He said spending time at the museum is one way to keep youth academically involved over the summer months while also having fun. “Children of all ages are always engaged in something. Some students are voracious readers; others enjoy TV, sports or spending time with friends. At ‘State of Create,’ ‘ArtyPants,’ and ‘stART,’ students are challenged and engaged by their own creative drive,” he said. “When the summer months can be wildly unstructured and potentially unsupportive of cognitive growth, the museum offers a place for the application of creative thinking skills.”

Not all of the programs are strictly just hands-on art activities, according to Henley. “Some of the sessions have additional educational components that relate to the works of art on view at the museum, and each project has an historical background that I like to include,” he said. “Sometimes, that’s as simple as including an image of WPA murals or a print by Albrecht Durer using a grid method. Sometimes the art history instruction comes from a reaction to a student’s work of art that is reminiscent of a particular artist or artistic style.”

“These drop in studios are divided into age groups to help both students and educators work at the level of each student,” said Henley. “Students can come for any of the sessions. Of course, students will get the most benefit if they come to all of them but it is not a requirement,” he said. “Each session is edifying on its own.”

Class sizes are limited, so advance registration is strongly encouraged via the museum’s website, www.jcsm.auburn.edu/programs. Parents are encouraged to stay for the session and should only register the number of youth attending the program for tickets. For assistance, contact the museum at 334.844.3486.

(Contributed by Charlotte Hendrix)