ARTS
Bring the arts home
BMA reaches families with innovative programs this fall BY JEANA DURST
close understanding and appreciation of Asian cultures,” May explains. What’s even better news for parents: They are designed to be short lessons The Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) that are plug and play—for example, videos are will reopen on October 6, but they continue to followed by some kind of activity that supports engage with children in online programs as well. the lessons being taught in the videos. Eventually We talked to Rachel White, curator of education, the BMA will host a student exhibition online and her staff to find out what’s been going on at that can showcase what students are making in the BMA as well as what’s on the horizon. For the class and at home. parents looking to enrich their kids’ educational The BMA’s programming continues to serve an experiences, their free resources are so valuable for important role for schools and community groups many reasons, including providing kids an outlet as well. They are providing art kits to complement during this stressful time (not to mention, enjoying lessons, for sale through the museum store site, along the inherent value of arts education). with their personalized instruction videos. Art kits The creative work in their quick adaptation are available for purchase, but videos to the digital realm was led by online can be accessed for free. Angela May, assistant curator Over the summer, BMA staff of education, and Emily Marr, provided these art kits to several the docent of teacher and community organizations, such education programs. Though as Smithfield Community Center, their innovations, the BMA has Better Basics, and the Magic City been able to continue to reach Acceptance Center. Now, Marr is the community even through actively working with Birmingham the pandemic. City School’s administration to One way that they do that select three schools where they is through the BMA from can provide art supplies for them Home initiative, where kids can to take home. So each time you access free art-making videos buy an art kit from the museum as well as art-inspired games (instead of buying from Amazon), and puzzles. “We’ve been © 2019 THE JACOB AND GWENDOLYN you will not only be supporting using materials we’ve been KNIGHT LAWRENCE FOUNDATION, playing with in the gallery for SEATTLE / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY the BMA but also helping them (ARS), NEW YORK to provide even more art kits a long time, like downloadable for Birmingham schools and coloring sheets, which can be community organizations. colored digitally using an iPad or tablet,” May This fall White and her staff will extend their says. These activities are great for parents who are outreach even further by developing resources now teachers, Marr points out. “These exercises are for youth to do on their own or in partnerhips to complement the upcoming exhibit: “Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle.” Through with a caregiver at home to really look at art and this curriculum, kids can learn about one of the inspire conversation around it,” she says. most significant artists and black artists of the Another resource, Culture Bridge, uses 20th Century and explore how he emphasizes the activities inspired by the BMA’s Asian art role of people of color and women in American collection (one of the best in the Southeast) history—just one more way the BMA is staying to serve kids in a K-12 curriculum. “It’s relevant to issues of universal importance. hinged on e-learning and distance learning Donate to support this great resource in our and asynchronous research materials. It’s a city and learn more about these opportunities by comprehensive web-based toolkit for educators, visiting artsbma.org. parents and students that’s designed to foster a 26 Bham Family October 2020
