Next week is Arts in Education Week! It’s time to CELEBRATE!
National Arts in Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate and advocate for the Arts and to share the impact of Arts Education with our communities. During this week, the field of arts education joins together in communities across the country to tell the story of the impact of the transformative power of the arts in education.
This is the perfect opportunity to host an Art-FULL week at your Club! Whether your Club has an extensive Arts Program, or you are offering weekly Arts and Crafts time, below are 5 ideas for how to make each day of National Arts in Education Week a special Art experience.
Talk Tech-y to Me With Digital Arts
Start your week by exploring digital arts experiences on MyFuture. Media Making encourages youth to explore graphic design, photo editing, animation, and much more. This can also open an opportunity to have a discussion with youth about careers in the digital arts in their future.
The Photo Editor badge is a great place for any Club to start. You can use a computer, smartphone, or tablet to complete the activities and then share your photos on MyFuture.
As a bonus, continue to work with your youth to collectively complete 10 My.Future Media Making Badges throughout National Arts in Education Week in order to be entered into a raffle to win a $500 gift card for your Club’s Art Program! Visit https://myfuture.net/ for more details.
Satisfy Your Hunger With Applied Arts
Did you know that culinary arts is one of the media we explore in Applied Arts? Well it is…and it can be pretty tasty. Try an activity today having FUN with food and talk with youth about culinary arts. Try out a simple recipe to make together, or maybe try a cool food science experiment.
If you have never heard of Spherification, checkout this wonderful video put together by the awesome youth team at America’s Test Kitchen that shows you exactly what to do!
You and the youth at your Club will have a great time turning your favorite liquid foods into tiny bubbles bursting with flavor. Want another idea? Find a recipe for Unicorn Toast in this ClubX Blog post.
Feel the Dance With Performing Arts
A great way to get over the mid-week hump is by getting active, and the Performing Arts can be a great way to inspire youth to get up and move. Try out some of the most popular “Fad” dances and invite youth to perform the dance for their peers in the next day’s assembly. A few fun dances to try might be:
- The Macarena
- The Cha-Cha Slide
- The Whip/ Nae Nae
It’s likely that your teens and tweens know even more. This is a great chance for them to lead and teach other Club members.
Make a Happy Little Tree With Visual Arts
Release your inner Bob Ross, break out the paint, and work through your “happy little accidents”. Try out a new technique or use different supplies, just like this activity that makes paintings using bubbles.
Allow youth to explore new media and express their own unique ideas. Share youth work throughout your Club during National Arts in Education Week by re-imagining Club bulletin boards as mini galleries. Consider hosting a showcase of youth projects and inviting parents, teachers and community members to come and celebrate the works of art!
National Arts in Education Week is a time to celebrate the impact of the Arts, and your Club’s commitment to providing youth with the opportunity to use their imagination, access their creativity, and express their unique views. Americans for the Arts has a ton of resources, including a social media packet, advocacy tools, and more. Participate with other youth development organizations across the country by sharing your Club’s Art stories by using #BecauseOfArtsEd. We look forward to hearing how your Club is celebrating this advocacy period in your community. Let us know about the fun projects and events you have planned!
What do you have planned for Arts in Education Week? What are your favorite Arts activities? Comment below, on the BGCA Youth Development Facebook page, or email ClubXBlog@bgca.org to share!
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