Each March, communities across the country celebrate Youth Art Month (YAM), a national initiative highlighting the importance of visual arts education.
The month-long celebration is meant to encourage communities to recognize their students’ creativity. YAM goes beyond a single exhibit, it’s a broader ecosystem of youth art programs, studios and community organizations that nurture creativity throughout the year.
From student art exhibitions to weekly drawing classes, painting workshops and summer art camps, young artists in Boone County have many opportunities to develop skills and explore new forms of expression.
These programs are intended to build creative confidence, strengthen problem-solving skills and connect with youth in the evolving arts community.
Many local organizations are hosting events and programs throughout the month to encourage young artists in Boone County. They include:
Zionsville Community Schools
Throughout the month, artwork by Zionsville Community Schools students of all ages is displayed across the community. Student exhibits are at the SullivanMunce Cultural Center, Hussey Mayfield Public Library, Five-Thirty Homes and Goodman Jewelers.
These businesses are known supporters of youth art year-round.
Robert and Rose-Marie Goodman select a creative kid each year to paint a mural on their building. Their location in the center of downtown Zionsville offers a Zionsville Community High School student a highly-viewed canvas.
The wall currently displays work by Amelia Molen that will be painted-over in summer when a new young artist is selected.
The school’s fine arts department teamed up with more than 30 local businesses this year that are displaying students’ work from grades K-12, recognizing kids’ fruitful efforts across the town.
Sugar Creek Art Center
The Sugar Creek Art Center has a number of classes planned for all ages with a variety of teachers, including retired Western Boone Jr./Sr. High School teacher Terri Gavin, who is a perennial favorite.
She and others teach pottery, drawing, ho2w to pain Psanky eggs with wax and dyes, clay gnome making, glass on glass mosaic, introduction to photography and egg glazing.
A new schedule starts in April. Find class schedules and reserve a spot at the Sugar Creek Art Center events page on Facebook.
Year-long opportunities for youth artists:
For other young artists who want to partake in YAM festivities but missed exhibit deadlines, many businesses around the community provide a creative outlet for kids.
MyArt Studios: With locations in Zionsville, Carmel, Fishers and Noblesville, offers structured weekly classes to kids throughout north central Indiana.
The business uses the Monart drawing method, according to their website, which is designed to teach observational drawing and artistic confidence. Classes are divided by age group and skill level.
Little Picasso’s are for ages 4-5, Sprouting Seurat’s are for ages 6-8. Offerings also include guided weekly drawing and painting classes, art camps and birthday art parties.
Paint It! Kids Studio: The studio offers beginner-friendly painting instruction designed to make art accessible to children over the age of 5.
Programs include studio painting class, school-based art enrichment programs, paint and sew workshops, art camps and private lessons.
There is a location in Zionsville, and with step-by-step instruction, young local artists can explore art and creativity.
Palette Art Studio: Palette offers classes for children, teens and adults. Individuals can sign up for youth classes, week-long summer art camps, private lessons and art-themed birthday parties.
The studio encourages experimentation and allows anybody to explore painting, drawing and mixed media projects designed.
SullivanMunce Cultural Center: Beyond hosting YAM exhibits, the center promotes hands-on art education opportunities.
It offers multi-week courses for ages 4-17, youth summer camps, and workshops teaching mediums like pottery, glass, jewelry and clay.
The center combines visual expression with art history and technique to help young artists build a deeper understanding.
Wheel for Youth is an in-depth class teaching kids how to throw on a pottery wheel and is suitable for beginners and more experienced artists.
It’s an eight-week course for kids ages 6-11, and the next session will be 4:30-6 p.m. Thursdays March 19-April 23. Cost covers all necessary supplies and is $180 members and and $230 for non-members.
For more details about classes and workshops, visit sullivanmunce.org.
Indianapolis Art Center: For those willing to drive a little further in search of new artistic pursuits, the Indy Art Center in Broad Ripple is one of the largest arts education centers in the region, according to its website.
The center provides a wider spectrum of choices for all ages. Youth classes include drawing and painting, clay and ceramics, fibers and glass, photography and digital art, sculpture and woodworking, jewelry and metals, print and book arts and performance arts.
It will hold a teen workshop focused on “Hatch Show Print” style posters, in the style of a print shop in Nashville, Tenn., that’s utilized the letterpress since the 1870s. The workshop will run from March 15-May 3.
A full schedule of classes can be found at indyartcenter.org.
