Art Start Studio can give kids a start to creative experiences
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Kids of all ages can explore their creative sides in the Art Start Studio at the Dahl Arts Center.
“A studio like this is one of the first interactions that kids can have with art. You know, if the parents don’t have the art supplies at home, we offer everything for free. They can come in and work on art projects that kids don’t, can’t typically, or might not have the opportunity at home to do,” Jeannie Larson, assistant curator and volunteer coordinator for The Dahl Arts Center, said.
Like admission to the arts center, the studio is free to use. Kids can participate in art projects, play instruments, read books or even just hang out.
They try limiting the number allowed to help staff with clean up, but they still see about ten kids a day with more traffic on hot or rainy days.
“So before COVID, we would have groups in here of 10, 20 or 30 kids and it would be loud and people would be running around,” Larson said. “We’re trying to limit those numbers just to kind of help with having to clean extra.”
Along with art activities for kids, the studio is a nice place to get out of the sun on hot, summer days.
“In the summer, you know, the babysitter or parents have a day off and they’re like, ‘let’s go to the Art Start Studio.'” Larson said. “We definitely see an uptake in people when it’s hot — 95 degrees out — and then when it’s rainy and kids want to go play at the park, well, they can come here instead.”
Kids can also try the monthly activities — July’s activity being collage work with cutting magazines and gluing the pieces together on a backing.
The Dahl Art Center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Currently, there are four exhibits on display — Night & Day by Time Peterson, Project Ms. by various artists, Northern Plains Native Americans: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective by Shane Balkowitsch “Shadow Catcher”, and A Brush with Heritage by Mick B. Harrison.
To learn more about the Dahl Art Center, click here.
