As parts of the country slowly begin to reopen, many of us are opening our eyes to a new normal. A normal which features reduced capacities, canceled events, and masks as far as the eye can see. While we hold our collective breath in our hope for the future, for now, we’ll need to make do with creative solutions, as it appears we may have to go without some of our favorite pastimes.
However, if you happen to be an art lover, you are in luck. Garden City Arts is a nonprofit which seeks to expand access to arts and humanities in Southwest Kansas, and they have come up with a creative plan to expand access to art programs, even without their flagship in-person classes.
How do they do it? Simple. By combining instructions and classes posted on YouTube with the exact art materials you will need for each project, all available at the Garden City Arts curbside pickup location for between $3 and $20, depending on the project.
Art Kits offer at-home art classes the easy way. They allow for safe social distancing practice, limit unnecessary time at the shops, and offer fun activities for kids, adults, and whole families.
More Important Now Than Ever
The Art Kits program is live now and is especially important as many of its users are families with kids home from school for the summer.
We know you’ve been at home with the kids for months already, and you might be running thin on projects as the summer starts in earnest. We also know that Garden City is not alone in seeing summer sports and other kids’ activities canceled for 2020. That is a big reason why we believe the Art Kits program will serve as a way to bridge that gap in the community.
It is essential to keep kids’ minds and creative energy occupied during the summer, and Art Kits are a great local resource and can keep the whole family entertained for hours, project after project.
Garden City Arts Needs Your Help
Garden City Arts was founded in 1989 to serve Southwestern Kansas by way of promoting local arts, artists, and the humanities. It is an organization which has grown steadily through the years, and has been able to provide free art classes to thousands of residents and to raise much needed funds to support local artists. Now, as COVID-19 takes its toll, GCA is experiencing a drop in revenue and its very existence hangs in the balance.
The Art Kits project is your chance to help. Executive director Katy Guthrie had this to say: ‘During these difficult times many nonprofit organizations are experiencing decreases in revenue that will impact their ability to continue offering vital programs. By purchasing an art kit from Garden City Arts you are helping to ensure that the arts stay vibrant in our community.’
Throughout the COVID crisis, GCA has continued to offer valuable services to the community. They have shifted much of their focus to online-only services which have continually benefited those they serve.
Last year, Garden City Arts hosted 264 events for the people of Southwestern Kansas. This included 97 free programs, 165 art classes, 12 cultural events, and 34 art exhibits. Diverse communities such as Garden City have thousands of stories to tell, and it is though the help of organizations such as Garden City Arts that these stories are told.
Even if you have never supported Garden City Arts before, now is a fantastic time to get involved. The Art Kits for sale are interesting and diverse, which many different projects to choose from, and proceeds go to benefit an incredibly worthy cause.
We must all come together in times such as these, and spending time to engage our minds and make something creative is a great way to stay connected to your neighbors, your city, and your world. Garden City Arts will continue to encourage creativity in Southwestern Kansas and beyond, and we believe their work is more critical now than ever.
If you have any questions about Art Kits or the Garden City Arts organization, we encourage you to get in touch. They have been working hard through this pandemic to provide quality service to the residents of Southwestern Kansas and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
If you believe in the mission of advancing art and culture in Garden City an beyond, we encourage you to support Garden City Arts and purchase an Art Kit. Pickup is safe and sterile, they are cost-effective, and most importantly, they are fun for the whole family!
For more information or to get involved, visit the Garden City Arts website or call (620) 260-9700.
