Time to Celebrate Youth Art Month!

It's that time of year-Youth Art Month!! Every March since 1961 art teachers have been celebrating and advocating for young artists! There are tons of ways you can promote Youth Art Month in your school and district. Put your program out there and spread the word about all the awesome things you do! Contact you school's PR person, local newspaper and even tv station to share what you do! Head over to the NAEA website for more ideas and information. If you currently don't have anything to share during the month of March start planning for next year and check out my ideas here! You can even head to my TeachersPayTeachers page and get all the activities and handouts!

I spent last weekend decorating my room and hallway for our celebration. After this long winter some bright colors is what everyone needed, teachers and students are loving the makeover! 

Photos of students with their work and visiting bakers. 

Have you heard of SmartFab? I came across this product at the NAEA National Conference, fell in love and ordered big bright rolls of it this year. It's a lightweight fabric that is easy to cut and won't fade. It is so much easier to use than large paper. I was able to decorate by myself and not worrying about ripping or crinkling because this fabric is flexible. I am figuring out the best way to hang and make it stay put and have found duct tape works pretty well. I put it everywhere! I wrapped my big pole in it, put it around the tables and bookshelves, and made my own 'bulletin boards' (there is not board underneath it, just looks nicer than that green tile!). You can buy it in rolls or sheets from your favorite art supplier. I bought the 48x40 foot rolls in about 8 different colors. Not only can you decorate with this fabric, but you can use it for projects with your students because it is so easy to cut!

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I also love the Art Motivation and Why We Teach Art Cards from Crystal Productions. I hang these durable cards around the hallways to remind everyone why art is so awesome! They have wonderful phrases on why the arts are important to our students and need be in our schools!

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Doodle 4 Google contest is also going on during March. I'm not a huge contest person, but Google offers some great prizes if your students become a semi-finalist or finalist. It also is a opportunity to expose your students careers in the art-did you know that there is a team of Google Doodlers? Submissions are due on March 20th.

Gave the bookshelves an update. 

Bulletin Board and Prize Packs for YAM activities!

Weekly Drawing Challenge Area 

I do a few contests and activities to get my students making and looking at artwork outside of the art class. I do a weekly drawing contest and they are due on Fridays in this box. I pick a winner randomly and then teacher favorites.

Week 1- Draw your favorite animal

Week 2- Draw a picture of you doing your favorite thing

Week 3- Draw something green

Week 4- Draw a funny creature or monster 

Students also have to look for a tiny hidden picture of me hiding in the artwork in the hallways. They have to write the artist name on a ticket and turn it in. I also have the parents participate in this event during our art show. 

I put all this info in a packet for the students and have it available for you to use and edit on my TeachersPayTeachers page. I have the the newsletter explaining the month's events, weekly challenge sheets, scavenger hunt tickets, YAM logo, bulletin board text and images, prize pack labels and  faculty YAM contest. These are all word documents that you can edit yourself as needed. 

I hope I have inspired you to participate! 

How do you celebrate Youth Art Month?