Black Belt Treasures’ Summer Program ‘grows’ next generation of artists
Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center officially started Summer Youth Art Programs on May 28 and will continue through Aug. 7.
A different age group comes each week to learn about various art forms, from watercolors to sculptures to soap making and working with clay.
Kristin Law, the Arts Program and Marketing Director at BBT and lead teacher for the Summer Youth Program, said that the camps are a significant part of BBT’s mission to become a region-wide venue for arts education, preserving the region’s heritage, arts, and culture.
“If we don’t grow the future artists of the Black Belt, there won’t be any artists to carry on the traditions,” she noted. "The arts are a crucial part of a well-rounded education.”
Children from all corners of Alabama attend the art camps, now so popular that there is a waiting list for the creative journey, Law said. The children are also exposed to local history, such as Gee’s Bend quilting, and the culture of the Black Belt region.
This summer’s theme is “Bugs”. In prior years, themes have included “Under the Sea” and “My Big Backyard”. These themes foster creativity and provide a platform for children to learn about their environment, Law said.
Local artists help teach classes. Betty Anderson often leads the soap-making classes. Angela Fernandez, the new Arts Education Program Coordinator, will assist Law this summer.
Fernandez said, “Kids need to be exposed to different art forms because it encourages them to think outside the box and helps them learn how to problem solve, which is a valuable skill to have as an adult.”
During the first week of the program, kindergarten through third-grade children explored mediums like watercolor, resin work, cardboard cutouts, and oil pastels.
Christopher Jordan, a rising second grader, is a legacy art camp attendee. His mother attended when she was younger, and his great-grandmother, Betty Kennedy, used to help teach. He said he wants to be an artist like his great-grandmother, a regional quilter.
Raleigh Brasell, a rising second grader, expressed her excitement about the upcoming clay camp. “I like to meet new people here and do all kinds of crafts.”
Addie Pam Nelson, a rising fourth grader, has attended BBT’s art camp for three years and now enters her work into art shows. She recently won first place in an art competition with a clay creation of a mama sea turtle and her baby.
A key partner in helping to make arts education accessible to all comes from support from the Black Belt Community Foundation which allows Black Belt Treasures to keep tuition fees affordable, ranging from $45 to $90. For those who may not have the funds, BBT offers scholarships, both partial and complete.
Law said they are considering adding more camps in the future, including a potential preschool art camp, which will introduce young children to basic art concepts and techniques in a fun and engaging way, and a parent-child art camp.
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