By Carlene Cobb
WADA Opens a New Home for Arts Education
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The Pruitt Arts Education Center with the Jim Aresty School for Young Artists opened its doors in January as part of the Warehouse Arts District Association’s (WADA) strategic plan to include a robust arts education initiative.
Named for Frances McSwain Pruitt and J. Crayton Pruitt, the Pruitt Arts Education Center classes in South St. Pete are bustling – teaching and inspiring young students to explore a variety of expressive art techniques and see how it feels to be an artist.
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The opening was celebrated with an Open House on earlier this month, adding to the excitement of the Second Saturday Art Walk. Guests were invited to participate in creating a Community Art Mural, using the oils, pastels, watercolors and colored papers provided. Feathers were designed and added to the wall mural to represent wings soaring into the arts.
Students registered for classes that weekend, openings are still available at warehouseartsdistrictstpete.org/Arts-Education-for-Children.
Strolling past the Community Art Mural table at the Open House, guests discovered 2600 square feet of art creation and education space, a lobby and gallery to view artworks and connect with artists, three classrooms and spaces to gather.
A dance rehearsal was presented by projectALCHEMY in the new dance studio equipped with spring-loaded flooring. The sprung floor is an innovative safety and health feature that is applauded for its buoyancy and injury prevention. Dance performances, fitness classes and a variety of artful, theatrical and mindful movement events will be happening in this dance studio.
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“This campus is where art is made, and we also want it to be where artists are made and community is created,” says Danielle Garcia, WADA’s Director of Arts Education. Students have booked more than 200 current and upcoming sessions. “We’ll be adding more options for March, April and May soon, including spring break and virtual options.
“I’m really excited about creating an artistic community that incorporates multisensory art making and community building… bringing in families and students and becoming a place for community convening here on the campus,” adds Garcia. “It’s already vibrant as it is, and there is so much more potential… to create scholarship opportunities for artists and to collaborate with more organizations and businesses.”
WADA President Mark Aeling speaks to the organization’s ongoing commitment. “We have a great opportunity to make a profound impact in our community, and we are approaching this important task very strategically. We have robust educational programming in place, and we hired Danielle Garcia as our enthusiastic and highly qualified Director of Arts Education. The entire WADA community is excited to see The Pruitt Arts Education Center and the Jim Aresty School for Young Artists come to fruition.”
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To meet educational objectives, classes for students 8 to 14 years of age are offered after school, on weekends, and during spring and summer breaks. The Make & Take class series provides hands-on experience in a variety of art disciplines. Students also experience the joy of instant gratification when they complete a new artwork each session and take it home the same day. Very motivating!
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For more information and registration for arts education classes for young artists and adults you can visit warehouseartsdistrict.wildapricot.org/2022ArtClasses
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WADA Art Tubs Project in Pinellas County Schools
“In addition to this education center, we’ve created these self-directed tubs to put into the schools,” explains WADA Executive Director Renee Dabbs, crediting education committee chair Susan Antoinette. “They’re very user friendly, they feature local artists and the St. Petersburg community.”
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A growing number of Pinellas County Schools’ K-5 art teachers are beginning to use WADA Art Tubs in their classrooms to support established curriculum. The six art-focused buildings featured in the Art Tubs project are The Dalí Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum, Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement, the Palladium Theater and the historic Royal Theater.
“We’d like to have this program in 100 classrooms in the 76 schools in Pinellas,” says Dabbs. “This project is 100 percent funded by grants and donations. . . The arts are happening in St. Pete, and that’s not an accident. There are a lot of amazing people working on it.”
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Photos provided by WADA
