Ivy Tech offers art program

Ivy Tech Community College’s Ivy Arts for Kids program offers various art courses throughout the year for students in preschool to age 16.

“The program began when Ivy Tech took stewardship of the John Waldron Arts Center,” said Jeffery Allen, executive director of Ivy Tech’s Center for Lifelong Learning. “The program has been going on for about three years.”

Currently, Ivy Tech offers five courses for students.

“We currently have ceramics, painting and drawing courses, which each meet six times,” Allen said.

Allen said the courses are taught by working professional artists who are also
teachers.

“We have multiple sessions in a year, as a counter to our robust summer program,” he said. “We know schedules can be hectic, so we try to start after school has begun, and we try to end before the holiday madness.”

Allen said the courses change each session.

“We change the courses from term to term, and they fluctuate in popularity,” he said. “Elementary-level courses are the most popular. We have a course, Ceramics for Two, for parents and their young children that is sold out.”

Students can sign up for classes online, over the phone or at Ivy Tech. The current courses cost between $119 and $165.

Though Ivy Tech offers this program, Allen said in no way is this meant to replace the curriculum taught in school.

Beverly Smith, director of community and school services at MCCSC, said the program and Ivy Tech in general are positive .

“Ivy Tech has been a great partner academically, with programs like Career Pathways and our Early College Program,” Smith said.

Allen said he hopes many more students take advantage of the program in the future.

“It’s meant to help you find your skills, find your voice and make something you care about,” he said.

Follow reporter Stephen Kroll on Twitter @stephenkroll1.