We see and hear art at many institutions around town where  most, both large and small, have exciting education programs to offer both young people and older adults alike. I’ll just highlight a few of them.

Jack Lane, executive producer at Stages St. Louis, says the Stages Performing Arts Academy in Chesterfield and its outreach programs attract more than 5,000 students, with classes in music, voice, dance and drama, as well as programs for children with physical, cognitive and developmental delays. “Stages has had a profound effect on the study of the performing arts in St. Louis,” Lane says.

CAM, the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, has featured its “New Art in the Neighborhood” for decades. It’s a program in which teens work with visiting artists and build their own portfolio. Another program for teens called “Teen Museum Studies” teaches kids how to curate a show. The teens wind up with their own show hanging in the galleries on the second level of the museum.

The Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries, CAM’s neighbor in Grand Center, has held multiple educational programs such as its Daytime Education series featuring, “The Jazz Story,” “Folk Music,” “Classical Music, “Blues” and “The American Musical.” Another program is called “SOLID” which stands for Science of Learning Instrument Design. Students learn how to create musical instruments out of recycled materials. Two other programs at the Sheldon are Harvey Lockhart’s North County Big Band, which practices there, and the Professional Development Program, where the education staff works with teachers in multiple school districts. 

Renee Franklin, director of audience development at the St. Louis Art Museum, highlights a few of the museum’s many education programs such as the ABC Program (arts in the basic curriculum), which has been around for ages. This program works specifically with fourth graders. And the museum sponsors “The Teen Arts Council,” which is a club for kids at the museum run by and for kids. Of course the docent program features intensely trained volunteers to guide people of all ages through the museum for general tours as well as ones for special exhibitions and specific interests. 

Phillip Dunlap, director of education and community engagement at Jazz St. Louis, talks of the “WeBop” program designed for 3 to 5 year olds to teach social development, which was created by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Education Program. The “JazzU” program is an after-school program for talented middle schoolers and high school students who want to learn to play jazz. Still another program is called Beat NF, developed by Jazz St. Louis and doctors at the Washington University Medical School. It works with 3 to 5 year olds with developmental problems by using music and movement.

Erin Prange, executive director of the Big Muddy Dance Company, says a summer program called “Elevate Students Project” works with 14 to 18 year old students in which the kids work with choreographers and wind up presenting their own personally developed dance programs. And still another program, “The Convergence Trainee Program,” prepares post-college age students for a dance career.

Dana Turkovic, curator at Laumeier Sculpture Park, says its  education programs reflect the unique qualities of the park. These programs include its very popular summer art camps, which explore classes in ceramics, drawing and painting for youth, teens and adults. Laumeier also has free family days, which give families a chance to bond while encouraging observation, imagination, curiosity and creativity.” 

This is really just the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to educational arts opportunities in just a few of our arts institutions in St. Louis. So if you or your friends and family want to delve in a little deeper into the arts, there are opportunities galore.