Let the Art Out at The City’s North Mount Pleasant and Wildflower Arts Centres

At least a couple of times each year, parents find themselves spending an exhaustive amount of time researching activity options for their kids. With so many choices, it can be a bit overwhelming. How can you be sure you’re picking a program that your child will not only find fun, but will also enhance their social and educational development?

Have you considered visual and performing arts classes?

Tanda Chmilovska, a resident of Hidden Valley, has seen the benefits of registering her 9-year-old son Sulay in a variety of visual and performing arts programs at The City’s arts centres over the past four years.“The great thing about The City’s art centres is that children are exposed to many different types of art – like drawing, painting sculpting paper mache, dancing and even comic book designing,” said Chmilovska. “My son even took a dance class to see if it was something he would like. I don’t think a lot of kids have the opportunity to be exposed to such a wide variety of art forms.”

For more than 40 years, The City’s two arts centres – North Mount Pleasant and Wildflower – have shared the joy of learning and artistic creation with preschoolers, children and adults. Both arts centres have introductory and advanced programs which are taught by professional practicing artists and expert instructors who know how to make lessons engaging for kids.

In a child’s early years, their art making is often more about the process of exploring materials than about creating a finished product. As a child’s imagination is engaged, they find ways to bridge the gap between what they have experienced and what they understand.

Creating mental images of their unique view of the world and then expressing it through movement or visual art, provides kids with new ways of communicating what they are thinking and feeling.

“I’ve noticed that my son is much more outgoing and confident as a result of taking arts classes,” noted Chmilovska. “Just knowing that he can create something from nothing is a big confidence boost for kids. I’ve seen that confidence translate into his academic work as well. It’s transferred over to his writing, math and communication skills.”

At The City’s arts centres, creative resources and environments have been put in place to provide a wide variety of quality visual and performing arts experiences for kids ages three and up.

Discover how you can enrich your child’s creativity and let their art out. To learn more about The City’s arts programs visit calgary.ca/artscentres.