Discovery Gateway: The Children’s Museum of Utah is initiating a series of what they call “Super Art Saturdays,” something that could provide young parents with a chance to refocus on family and other students an opportunity to connect with others and hone their art abilities. Super Art Saturdays are held every first Saturday of the month and sponsored by the Salt Lake City Arts Council.
The purpose of these events is to provide free access to the Discovery Gateway’s Artwork program for children in the community.
Kirsta Albert, development and external relations director at Discovery Gateway, stressed the importance of art. She said she strongly believes that “exposure to art at a young age is a predictor for a child’s success later in life.”
The opening event occurred Sept. 6, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event featured a marshmallow and block sculpture building activity geared toward STEM career development. Families with young children can take their kids to work on these developmental skills for free.
“We encourage volunteerism at the museum,” Albert said. She said there are vast options for internships in all majors and fields.
The museum’s assistant director of operations, Tammy Spicer, encourages art majors specifically to participate as guest presenters and artists. This allows children to have “authentic experiences with real artists,” Spicer said.
Super Art Saturdays can also aid students by providing an activity idea for Y-serve programs that often require students to spend at least one hour a week with a mentee. One of those programs, ACCESS, acts as a big-brother/big-sister program with kids in the community. It’s not always easy thinking of activities to do within these partnerships.
“It’s hard to think of fun ideas every week that will develop a relationship with the kid,” said senior Monica Huang, executive director of the ACCESS program.
The Super Art Saturday events are a great way for mentors to have pre-planned and free activities at least once a month. The activities provided at the museum can provide a healthy environment for kids who need it.
“Art is an emotional release, and even for adults it can release a lot of that built-up emotion,” Spicer said.
The events will be held in Discovery Gateway’s Studio 444 and will continue at least through the summer of 2015.
