Thanks to a new initiative to donate art kits to local youth in Leelanau County, Glen Lake middle school students will have the opportunity to further explore their creativity and artistic expression outside of the classroom setting and at home.
The Glen Arbor Arts Center (GAAC) recently announced a special community initiative aimed at giving back this holiday season and enriching the lives of young people through art. GAAC is now offering art kits for sale that can be donated to Glen Lake Community School students in the Leelanau Investing For Teens (LIFT) program.
The donated kits are intended to support the community’s youth by making art more accessible and to encourage students to explore new creative horizons.
LIFT Associate Director Audrey Luksch said since they began collaborating with GAAC this summer, Glen Lake students have taken advantage of the monthly art classes offered, adding that the teachers have seen a real passion from the students. She said the art kit donations will allow students to continue exploring their creative interests even when they aren’t attending one of the monthly GAAC art classes.
“I think to be able to have quality art materials at home is a privilege, and the whole point of LIFT and GAAC collaboration is to give teens a safe place to explore new mediums and see if it’s something they’re interested in,” Luksch said. “So to be able to learn it not only with a teacher, but then to also take it home and be able to practice it at home is also a privilege. I think it kind of encourages that artistic mind and motivation — that intrinsic desire to improve and explore a skill, and it makes it more accessible.”
The initiative is made possible through collaboration, with Luksch adding that LIFT aims to connect with the teens in their program as well as to build positive relationships in the community.
“There’s so many amazing organizations in Leelanau county that get to specialize in something niche, like art, or the great lakes, or sports or leadership,” she said. “... So collaboration is not only I think better because collective action is always going to be more productive, but it also gives our teens this exposure to just so much more than if LIFT alone tried to focus on just one thing. We’re grateful that we have these positive relationships not just with local youth, but also with our area experts.”
Part of GAAC’s mission is to also connect with the community, said Autumn Kirby, GAAC office manager. Kirby explained that GAAC normally sells the kits at their store, but wanted to find a way to best utilize the leftover kits by giving back and working with another nonprofit.
“It just sounded like a great way to make that happen — to support all the groups, the community, and us and LIFT,” Kirby said. “People can either purchase art kits on the website or they can come into GAAC to purchase. We let them write a little message or little note for the kids that goes in the art kit. Then before school gets out, we’ll pass it on to LIFT to distribute.”
There are multiple art kits with different mediums that will be available, but they generally will include a sketchbook or canvas, or utensils like pens, pencils, paint and paint brushes.
To donate a creativity art kit through the Glen Arbor Arts Center online, go to https:// glenarborart. org/ product/ donate-an-art-kit/.
