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Week in Review: BMA in the Community

/ In the Community - Slideshows

While there’s always plenty going on within the Museum walls, our Education department is always in the community, taking art to students in our surrounding neighborhoods. BMA’s artist-in-residence Toby Richards is constantly creating new and fun art projects for students, particularly in after-school programs at our local libraries.

Just this past week, Toby has visited North Avondale Library, Central Library, West End Library, Smithfield Library, and Titusville Library. Students at the libraries include kids from Hayes K-8 School, Philips Academy, Epic School, ASFA, Hemphill Elementary, Parker High School, Tabernacle Church pre-school, Washington K-8 School, Tom Brown Community Center in North Birmingham, JCCEO, the Kingston neighborhood, among others.

Not only is the reach broad, but the types of art projects at each location is, too. For instance, students at Titusville Library created folk art-inspired frames; students at Central Library created works inspired by artist Radcliffe Bailey; and at  Smithfield Library, the students painted with watercolor, drawing inspiration from the Museum’s piece Still Life with Pineapple.

These programs offer a creative outlet for students and provide arts education, which is dwindling in many schools. The projects stimulate critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, and much more.

Take a look at the slideshow below to see Toby’s week in review, a typical week in her busy schedule! If you would like to learn more about these programs, contact our Education department at [email protected].

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