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Family Programs at the Museum

New: The Art PLAYce for Children

A major new initiative of the Museum’s recent Art works PRIMED interim expansion is the Art PLAYce, a new hands-on art space for children and families. This new family art center expands the Museum’s already vital educational programming. The Art PLAYce is a dynamic 1,600 square foot addition to the Museum that provides a new opportunity for the children of WNC to grow and learn through hands-on, interactive art activities. The Art PLAYce is self- guided and open during Museum hours for families to enjoy as part of their Museum visit. This initiative offers an array of art-based and art-making activities for children, including three-dimensional building activities based on local architecture as well as interactive installations based on artworks in the Museum’s Permanent Collection, and new, art-based curriculum. The Art PLAYce is open daily during regular Museum hours for kids and families to enjoy during any Museum visit.

Enhancing the Art PLAYce are several site-specific works of art by local artists Jennifer Jessee, Kenn Kotara, Warren Perdue, Aaron Tucker and Christi Whitely, as well as contributions from Chris Slusher and Steve Parker.

Support for the Art PLAYce is provided by the Hilliard Family Foundation.

Seasonal Family Days

Family Days are offered 2 to 3 times a year in conjunction with the Museum’s exhibitions. Activities usually include guided exhibition tours, a hands-on studio project for children and adults and refreshments.

Dates for 2013 forthcoming.

For more information, please call Sharon McRorie, Education Programs Manager at (828) 253.-227, ext. 122.

 

Previous Family Days:

  • Most recently kids and families enjoyed the holiday Family Art Party! held in conjunction with the Museum’s Annual Holiday Market in December 2012, during which WNC artist, Kenn Kotara, led a family workshop on creating small sculptures
  • A summertime favorite: visitors enjoyed a Family Art pARTy! in the Museum’s new East Wing on Sunday, July 8, offering families art activities to enjoy in conjunction with the annual Big Crafty arts & crafts fair and community bazaar.
  • The community also enjoyed a very special Family Day on Sunday, March 25, 2012 in celebration of the Museum’s Art works PRIMED Grand Opening (interim expansion project completed in March 2012). Families enjoyed hands on art activities in the new Art PLAYce for Children, an interactive art space adorned with local art and offering a wide variety of inspirational art activities for all ages to enjoy.
  • Super Heroes and Story Time! For our Spring Family Art pARTy!, families joined us for story time in the Asheville Art Museum’s exhibition Nouns: Children’s Book Artists Look at People, Places and Things followed by art activities in the Museum’s studio.
  • The Asheville Art Museum collaborated with RiverLink to offer an innovative environmental art experience in celebration of Earth Day 2009. The afternoon included free family art activities, including the creation of Fundred Dollar Bills, in the Pack Place Lobby and opening reception of RiverLink’s Earth Art Contest, a student art and writing competition, and the Fundred Dollar Bill display in the Pack Place Community Gallery.