Akron – With the support of PNC and The Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation, the museum will offer free studio supplies to area families. These Creativity Care Kits will be offered onsite, beginning August 8th, every Saturday in August and September. Subsequent kits will be produced and featured seasonally through Spring 2021.
“With so much uncertainty around shared supplies and programming, we’ve had to make changes to the way we connect with families. But we wanted to maintain our educational mission to support creativity and imagination. Creativity is something everyone has in them and making art is a way to bring those creative skills to life. In a time when so much is virtual, authentic, tactile experiences are even more necessary.” Jon Fiume, Interim Executive Director, shared the reasoning behind the kits. “We’re also excited to partner with organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Ohio to pass on free kits to their constituents who may be unable to come to the museum.”
Each package includes a variety of media, including paper, pipe cleaners, tissue paper, and sequins. These kits are meant to be flexible and user-driven. Mr. Fiume added, “Rather than cookie-cutter projects, we want people to have open horizons. We know blank pages can be scary for some, so we have plenty of art-making prompts on our blog and website.”
Kits will be available Saturdays during August and September while supplies last and will be given to those who request them from visitor services.
On the second Saturday of every month through Spring 2021, the museum will offer virtual Family Days (made possible through support by PNC), sharing projects that use materials from the kits. Additionally, downloadable project plans and extension experiences are available on the blog and website. We encourage everyone to share the projects they make by tagging @akronartmuseum on social media.