Chesterton Art Center announces expansion of their youth art education outreach programming. This school year, CAC returns to Duneland Boys & Girls Club offering weekly visual arts instruction, and will now also serve even more students in a new partnership with Duneland Family YMCA. CAC will serve the Club and all five YMCA elementary afterschool sites for a 25-week Youth Arts Outreach Program. At both sites, CAC instructors will be leading hands-on, exciting art lessons that highlight unique topics during each 5-week ‘camp’ session. The program will run September through May.
CAC's teaching artist Katie Wiley works with students at the Duneland YMCA
Continuing the program with Duneland Boys & Girls Club is an important example of how strong, local partnerships can lead to really special experiences for the community. Natalie Birky, Program Director of Boys & Girls Club, shares, "We are so excited for the Youth Arts Outreach Program to be happening at the Duneland Club again this year. Our members love every project they create, and it is a great opportunity for the kids to have an outlet where they use their creative minds." The program is rooted in an extensive arts curriculum that 1es in topics like STEAM, cultural histories, technique, and media exploration to ensure the lessons are both engaging and educational. The CAC team has envisioned how this program can expand, and they feel the new Duneland Family YMCA partnership will aid in the program’s continued growth. "We have so many children in our program who are passionate about art. It is amazing to see how our community can come together to support our youth. We are so thankful to be able to partner with the Chesterton Art Center to encourage our young artists," says Becca Colbert, Director of Youth and Community Based Programs at Duneland Family YMCA.
Two students from Duneland Boys & Girls Club enjoy their first art lesson with CAC teaching artist Brian Dortmund.
For the past year, CAC has put a strong focus on expanding outreach programming beyond the walls of the Center to serve even more of the community. “Watching CAC’s outreach grow from small ideas to robust programs is truly something special, and we greatly appreciate our community partnerships that play such an integral role in our outreach programs. It’s so rewarding to be a part of this growth for both the Center and the community and to directly witness the impact creative outlets have on our community’s young artists”, says Jillian Bridgeman, Program Director of Chesterton Art Center. In addition to the Youth Arts Outreach Program taking place with Boys & Girls Club and the Duneland Family YMCA, CAC has implemented additional free public programs such as their Teen Arts Group, School Group Art Visits, and quarterly Family Art Days.
These outreach programs support CAC’s mission of creating accessible, enriching arts programming for the local community and beyond. Learn more about all of CAC’s outreach, education, and exhibitions at www.chestertonart.org, or call (219) 926-4711.