Waterville area families, be sure to pick up this month’s FREE art kit in honor of Youth Art Month (YAM), a national celebration of arts education that highlights the importance of teaching visual arts in schools every March.
This year’s theme is “Art Connects Us.” In this month’s art kit, we will create a group quilt inspired by artist Faith Ringgold, who used words to create patterns that she called “story quilts.” The kit contains material to make two works of art, one to keep and one to mail! A prepaid envelope will be provided to return one of your quilted creations to Waterville Creates, who will combine all of the quilted submissions into a community group quilt. Posters of the groups’ quilts will be distributed in April’s art kit and will be posted on the organization’s social media and website. Books written by Faith Ringgold will be available for circulation at the Waterville Public Library. The artist also has works of art in the Colby College Museum of Art’s permanent collection.
Developed in direct response to the COVID-19 public health crisis, Art Kits for All is an innovative, collaborative program designed to keep our community’s families engaged and connected to the arts. Art kits are distributed for free at partner sites throughout the city. Waterville Creates, in collaboration with community partners, including the Colby College Museum of Art, the Kennebec Montessori School, Waterville Public Schools, and the Family Violence Project, powers this community partnership program, generously providing volunteers and supplies to keep this popular relief program accessible to all.