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Last time we met, I introduced you to a great program that the Center for the Arts offers for artists and children alike; Artist Visiting Kids. It suddenly occurred to me that as a community we may not all be aware of what the Center for the Arts offers for children.

As a matter of fact, one of the programs that we do annually is Kids Discover Art. This fun filled program is offered as a free opportunity for children to engage in creating art at the Celebrate the Arts Festival. This year’s program takes place from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Feb. 16-17.

This program is so well loved and that is due in part to its simplicity. There is no registration required, no fees, children can spend time on just one project or make a day of it by spending time on all projects offered. The fun takes place outside in a 12’ X 50’ tent space. Activities range from face painting to coloring to clay modeling. The children keep what they create. Of course parents may stay on hand to oversee, but remember the idea of art is to let the artist express themselves!

All of the Center’s programs concentrate on that important facet: To allow the artist to express themselves. As an educational facility, we do encourage learning by doing and provide instructional techniques and art history in the development of the youth programs. The basis for the development of Art Education for Home School Children was to provide art history. There are many arts and crafts programs that are run for children, however at the Center for the Arts we also think it is important to provide the student with a historical background on art, techniques, styles and media.

Parents choosing home school education for their children recognized this importance and when children began to reach traditional school age, they determined who better to stimulate them in the arts than their local Center for the Arts. And thus Art Education for Home School Children was born.

As state and federal cuts occur in funding for the arts in the public school system, the Center for the Arts recognized the need for providing additional programming for school age children; specifically a program that concentrated on students at the eighth grade level with a demonstrated talent in the arts. The Young Artist Academy was born in September 2006.

This program offers qualifying students an opportunity to work directly with an artist. It takes a commitment from both the artist and student as it meets weekly for six to eight weeks, four times a year. Concentration is on clay sculpting, drawing, painting and clay wheel throwing. The program’s mission is to provide the student with advanced instruction, emphasize the development of their individual artistic skills, and creative thinking, while providing an outlet for self expression (that key work again), and awareness of the opportunities that are available in the arts as a profession.

This program does have a similarity to the Artist Visiting Kids program in that it is also totally grant underwritten, which means for the students willing to make the commitment it is free.

Yes, the Center for the Arts also offers after school programming. The focus for the visual arts is on elementary school age children; dramatic arts programs are offered for grades two through eight.

Creative dramatics is the Center’s form of offering classes for children that have an interest in drama, but don’t stop there. These classes introduce the children to a variety of theatre games and techniques that stimulate the imagination through sound and gesture; speech and movement. Is it just me or can you see how this has a direct correlation on child development? The children learn how to use pantomime and improvisation. They create short monologues and one and two minute plays. And for the more experienced, there’s an Acting & Scene Study program that provides an opportunity to explore the body of a scene for characterization, content and performance; particularly useful for audition preparation.

I know, I know there is so much that the Center for the Arts offers for our children, and these are only the in house programs! I will have to spend another time on all the out reach programming! But until then, remember to check out all Arts & Cultural Happenings so you don’t miss a thing!

And that means for the Kids too!

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Christine Neal is the executive director of the Art League, Marco Island’s Center for the Arts. She holds an Associate of Arts Degree in the Liberal Arts with emphasis in the Fine Arts and various certifications and designations in business and the arts. An award winning artist, with 20-plus years in management and sales. Marco Island’s Center for the Arts is located at 1010 Winterberry Drive 239-394-4221 mail@marcoislandart.com.