Summer Youth Art Academy will run for a second year in Glenwood Springs
Courtesy Joe Van Wyk
School is almost out and some parents might be wondering how they’ll keep their children busy over the summer while they’re at work.
One option is the city of Glenwood Springs’ Summer Youth Art Academy that runs throughout the summer.
“We specialize in quality art education in summer fun,” Glenwood Springs Arts Center Art Supervisor Annie Henninger said. “So a really nice blend of both capitalizing on the beauty of Glenwood Springs and being outdoors.”
Courtesy Joe Van Wyk
The city is running its second summer long art academy to give local youth more fun things to do.
“The arts in general can develop self-awareness, open mindedness, critical thinking, connection, listening and tolerance, which are really important life skills that transfer across all areas of life,” Henninger said.
The program offers classes Monday through Thursday throughout the summer.
The classes are set up with full-day programming and offer an assortment of different options for both little ones and teenagers.
Age groups range from 4 to 16, with each class designed for a different age range. Most of the classes are aimed for children 6-10 years, with a couple specifically for teens.
The classes are individually priced, and need to be registered for individually and in advance, to give the Community Arts Center enough time to accommodate class size and any special requests.
“Our workshops are being led by professional art educators and instructors, who really design workshops that capitalize on the power of art,” Henninger said. “So it’s not only making and creating, but looking and responding to art.”
Pricing for the classes was adjusted to be comparable with other children’s activities in Glenwood Springs, but better because they offer unique and versatile art and recreation classes like fencing or monster makeup for middle schoolers, she said.
Courtesy Joe Van Wyk
“The program was built around community feedback,” Henninger said. “We’re really trying to be responsive to what the community is looking for, and science came up a lot.”
Cartooning, clay, drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, special effects, art and science, theater and select programs just for teens are all offered.
The city will also be offering a preschool class through the Aspen Science Center.
“There’s so much room for kids to find their own way,” Henninger said. “There’s no wrong way to make art. There’s only their way, and we’re really all about helping kids become their best selves through the practice of being together and making art.”
Art helps build creative thinking, because it opens the brain to think outside of the box which can carry over to all disciplines like sports or science, Glenwood Recreational Manager Steve Fredrick said.
“Kids can really tap into their own creative selves, but also become more open-minded, more tolerant, more respectful,” Henninger said. “Art by nature is also experimental; it’s full of wonder, (and) it’s inquiry based. There’s a lot of trial and error involved.”
Courtesy Joe Van Wyk
Any necessary accommodations can be noted when filling out a registration and it will alert Laine Fabijanic, the city’s community and therapeutic recreation supervisor.
“We want the public to know that young people living with disabilities are welcome in all of our programs, and we will provide accommodations to the best of our ability,” Fredrick said.
The art center asked that parents call ahead for any special requests or accommodations whatsoever, so they have enough time to make sure that they can accommodate young ones properly.
They will not serve food, but they will have a supervised lunch period where they ask that parents pack lunches for their children.
There are also mix and match half-day options where children can spend half of the day at the Community Art Center and the second half of the day at the Recreation Center. They are working out the shuttle services now and ask that parents call ahead for any special requests.
“We offer the best art educational programming in Glenwood Springs. I feel like it’ll be the place to be this summer,” Henninger said.
To make additional accommodations please make advanced arrangements by contacting Laine Fabijanic, Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor, at helaine.fabijanic@cogs.us or 970-309-5911
Post Independent reporter Cassandra Ballard can be reached at cballard@postindependent.com or 970-384-9131.
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