smARTworks : Academics

The PNCA Youth Program offers a wide range of unique art and design classes for children and teens throughout the year. Our smARTworks courses serve students between the ages of 4 and 13 years of age. Our program is focused around investigative inquiry and play, similar to the Reggio Emilia approach. Reggio principles such as experiential and student directed learning, and the cultivation of student relationships and collaboration are emphasized during the curriculum creation process.

The PNCA Youth Program also looks to the Kennedy Center’s ArtsEdge Visual Art Standards. Great care is taken to ensure that Youth Program students meet appropriate content and achievement standards at the Elementary and Middle School level. Students that attend smARTworks and other Youth classes at PNCA will learn:

-Different media techniques and processes.
-About art history and its importance in the creative process.
-The role of critique and associated vocabulary.
-The Principles and Elements of Fine Art and Design.
-Creative Problem Solving
-How to use research and reflection as creative tools during the art-making process.

Divided into two, the days are organized around different artistic mediums. Students will start their day with a focus on sculpture projects and after lunch the afternoon session concentrates on drawing, painting and printmaking.

Mornings: sculpture projects

Students explore three-dimensional forms as artistic responses to the weekly themes. Projects encourage students to consider basic art fundamentals of color, form, texture and rhythm to strengthen their processes and vocabulary. Mediums include clay, papier mache, assemblage, weaving, batik and found object sculptures.

Afternoons: drawing, painting, printmaking

Students investigate weekly themes through drawing, painting and printmaking, while incorporating basic art fundamentals such as line, shape, form, color mixing and composition. Mediums include graphite, charcoal, tempera, watercolors, ink, acrylic, collage, block printing and collagraphs.

Our Students

Our smARTworks program is designed so that class cohorts are comprised of students that are similar in age as well as artistic and social development. We have four age groups:

Ages 4 to 6 (smARTexplorers)
Ages 7 to 8
Ages 9 to 11
Ages 12 to 13

These age-ranges allow our Instructors to tailor curriculum in a way that is age appropriate, and considerate of students’ fine-motor development. smARTworks classes are capped at 15 participants; smARTexplorers is capped at 12. This is done to ensure that Instructional and Program staff can give students individual attention throughout the course period.