CCAD brings art classes to under-served middle schoolers
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Middle school students in Franklinton will soon have the opportunity to learn how to create comic books when Columbus College of Art & Design launches a new program designed to bring art and design educational experiences to underserved youth.
The program to bring CCAD’s Saturday Morning Art Classes to the community is a collaboration among United Schools Network and the Governor’s office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. And it marks the first time that CCAD has brought such a program to underserved youth at a charter school in Franklinton. The goal is to help overcome barriers of affordability and accessibility by bringing visual art education to students who may not be exposed to it.
The first class will start Monday, March 19, when CCAD’s Saturday Morning Art Classes will bring its Illustrated Comics class to 30 8th graders at the Columbus Collegiate Academy – Dana Ave, which is part of the United Schools Network.
The class, taught by a CCAD Saturday Morning Art Classes instructor, will meet twice a week for 10 weeks.
The students will each create a short comic book and learn the basics of self-publishing. At the end of the project, CCAD will produce an anthology of all the student work, which will be on view Tuesday, June 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. at 400 West Rich Street during an exhibition called CCAD: Creativity in the Classroom.
“We want to empower young people so they can tell their stories and share them with others,” said Christine Hill, Director of CCAD’s Community Education program, which includes Saturday Morning Art Classes. “Comics are increasingly popular, especially among young people, and we want to meet them on the level where they enjoy working and reading.”
The class is free for the students and includes comic book making supplies for them to take home and keep.
That’s possible thanks to funding from the Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, which is granting $9,125 to CCAD for the administration of the United Schools Network art program.
Andy Boy, Founder and CEO of United Schools Network, said he’s thrilled about the new program.
“The importance of art education can never be overstated. This partnership further proves that a child's creativity is always a worthy investment,” Boy said. “Our students are so lucky to have this opportunity — and we are so grateful to Gov. John Kasich's office and Columbus College of Art & Design for providing it.”
About Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design teaches undergraduate and graduate students in the midst of a thriving creative community in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1879, CCAD is one of the oldest private, nonprofit art and design colleges in the United States, offering 12 four-year undergraduate programs and two graduate programs in art and design that produce graduates equipped to shape culture and business at the highest level. For more information, visit ccad.edu.
Media contact
Jeannie Nuss
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Columbus College of Art & Design
614.222.6162
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