The Community Art School
To implement the education programs of the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, the center has founded The Community Art School. The mission of the Community Art School is to make the visual arts more accessible to the greater Boone community by providing opportunities to experience the visual arts in a dynamic, meaningful and personal way. The purpose of this program is twofold: to enrich the lives of the participants by providing experiences that are both educational and therapeutic, and to build an audience that recognizes the importance of the arts in experiencing, interpreting, understanding, recording and shaping culture.
Artist residencies, community art workshops, and a strong connection to the university's Department of Art are all part of the center's programming plans. The center's focus on teaching and strengthening a sense of community is exemplified in its dynamic Community Art School programs, which include:
A.S.K. - Art in Support of Kids
In partnership with local agencies like the Appalachian State University Child Development Center, the Watauga Youth Network, and the Watauga County Public Schools, the center develops opportunities for Pre-K, K-12, and special needs children. No matter what age, each program helps students learn more about art, the world around them, and themselves.
Appalachian Summer Festival Workshops & Camps
Appalachian Summer Festival Workshops for Kids
Appalachian Summer Festival Workshops for Teens and Adults
Art After School
Offered in partnership with the Appalachian State University Department of Art, this program is designed to stimulate imagination, encourage creativity, develop perceptual awareness, and nurture a global perspective of visual culture in children ages 6 to 12. Participants experience a wide range of art methods and materials.
At Risk Youth
This program targets at risk youth in Watauga County. Art education students meet with participants in the Watauga Youth Network for visual arts activities.
Drama / Theatre
Express Yourself
Express Yourself is a series of workshops designed by the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts with Appalachian State University's Expressive Arts Therapy Program and Art Department to provide children and adults with developmental disabilities with opportunities to explore their feelings, develop their creativity, promote self-confidence, build their social networks through group participation, and have fun through various arts activities.
Lunch & Learn
This series of lunchtime programs provide an opportunity for community members to gather together, enjoy a bag lunch, and learn more about work in the current exhibitions or related subjects. These informal get-togethers are a fun and friendly way to explore art.
Movement and Dance
Programs for Kids
Programs for Teens and Adults
Programs for Teens, Adults, and Appalachian Students
Programs for the Developmentally Disabled
Saturday Sessions
Saturday Sessions offer fun and educational information for children ages 4 to 12. Programs build on the exhibitions of the center, and offer students a chance to enjoy a great time with others while learning about art. Classes are taught by Art Education faculty and students.
Saturday Sessions for Teens and Adults
Saturday Sessions for Teens and Adults build on the exhibitions of the center, and offer students a fun and educational opportunity to enjoy a great time with others while learning about art. Classes are taught by Art Education faculty and students.
Spring Workshops
Summer Workshops
Summer Workshops for Adults
Summer workshop fun is not just for kids. This summer, the Community Art School also offers a variety of creative and challenging workshops for older teens, adults and seniors!
TCVA Film Series
Young at Art
Young at Art programs often focus on current exhibitions, but also address special topics selected by the participants and workshop leaders. The Turchin Center partners with several local agencies to offer area seniors and other adults a chance to learn more about contemporary art, and to create their own masterpieces. Classes are open for public registration, are held once a month on Mondays and Wednesdays.
In addition, the Community Art School also offers tours, workshops, and support materials for children and adults, which provide an exciting way of viewing and understanding the center's featured exhibitions; an expressive arts therapy program; continuing education programs for community artists, focusing on such topics as grant-writing, portfolio development and art marketing; artist residencies in partnership with local schools and arts councils, which bring the visual arts into the lives of the community, while showcasing the work of area artists; and "Teacher Training in the Arts," a program offering college-level training for the public school teachers of tomorrow, by providing them with training and resources they can bring into their future classrooms.
The Community Art School is supported by a generous grant from the Helen M. Clabough Charitable Foundation.
For more information on The Community Art School, please contact Community Art School Coordinator Dr. Gayle Weitz at 828.262.3017, or email weitzgm@appstate.edu.
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