Museum
Ten Years of Mass Creativity
The New Children ’ s Museum is kicking off its 10th annual Mass Creativity program with inperson workshops at seven community centers throughout San Diego later this month . Mass Creativity is the contemporary arts-based children ’ s museum ’ s signature outreach program that brings hands-on art-making opportunities to diverse communities in the county .
“ This year will be the first time in two years that we will host in-person workshops at the community centers , after a shift to virtual during the pandemic through art kits and Zoom gatherings ,” the Museum ’ s Executive Director and CEO , Elizabeth Yang-Hellewell shared with GB Magazine . “ The Mass Creativity program is essential to our efforts in making interactive and collaborative art experiences accessible to families in the wider community , and we are excited to be doing this beyond the computer screen again .”
The first Mass Creativity workshop will take place on April 28 in partnership with Casa Familiar at the Youth and Community Center in San Ysidro , followed by six more workshops in May and June . At each workshop , community participants will create individual Leporello or Accordion Books , as well as paint , draw and collage on a giant canvas that represents their community ’ s story . The seven canvases will then be displayed as the collective pages of a life-size book at The New Children ’ s Museum on Mass Creativity Day .
“ The workshop projects are an exercise of imaginative storytelling and reflective of the Museum ’ s focus on early literacy learning and engagement ,” said Iyari Arteaga , the Museum ’ s Community Programs Manager who spearheads the Mass Creativity program . “ Through these workshops , we hope to give families a creative outlet to express and reflect the challenges they may have faced over the past couple years .”
Following the workshops , Mass Creativity Day is the culminating celebration of art , creativity and community to be held on June 25 at the downtown Museum and the adjacent street and park . The event features art-making activities , music , performances , food and free Museum admission for all visitors . Island Avenue will be closed between Front and Island to allow participants
82 GBSAN . COM | MAY 2022