Grant allows Painted Sky Center for the Arts to provide all-day classes

Published 11:46 am Monday, June 27, 2022

CANYON CITY — Painted Sky Center for the Arts has received a grant large enough to provide free summer art classes for a large number of children in the county.

The Oregon Community Summer Grant awarded to the art center totaled $180,367 and is described as being significantly larger than grants the center has received in previous years. Due to the size of the grant, the art center can now provide art classes to 60 more kids than are enrolled at this time.

The center was operating on a tuition-based attendance model before the grant funding but will now be able to offer summer art classes free of charge from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Ryan McKnab of Painted Sky said the goal of the art center is to accommodate working families and families that want to participate in summer activities that may not be compatible with children.

“Sometimes they want to go play golf or enjoy the summer, and kids won’t always be compatible with that. I want to accommodate family lifestyles and, of course, bring kids in to learn art techniques. We’re learning about art cultures from all over the world. In rural areas like this, where there isn’t much diversity, I’m trying to bring the diversity to them,” he said.

Art classes have moved from the art center to Humbolt Elementary, 329 N. Humbolt St. in Canyon City. The arrangement allows kids in Humbolt’s summer school program to attend the classes put on by the art center after summer school classes end at noon.

Alicia Griffin of Painted Sky said the move to Humbolt allowed the center to serve more kids and accommodate them for longer hours.

“We were brainstorming and came up with the idea, why don’t we bring our operations to Humbolt and fill that gap for parents that need to drop off their kids at 8 o’clock instead of 9 o’clock and can’t come at noon to pick up their kid after summer school?” she said.

“So we’re filling that gap for those kids, but bringing it here opened up big opportunities to add more kids and teachers and accommodate for those kids.”

McKnab said the current teacher to student ratio at summer art classes is 15 to 1.

Youth summer events coordinator Sharon Henry said the grant has also allowed the art center to offer more things to the community for free. Activities will include a toddler event at Painted Sky on July 25-27, separate ceramic events for preteens and teens at the Painted Sky ceramics studio, and a group of family movie nights that will take place at the Grant Union football field in a collaboration with the John Day/Canyon City Parks and Recreation District and the Grant County Library.

The largest of the events, which Parks and Recreation is calling “Fun in the Sun,” will be held on July 23 at the Grant Union High School football field. Griffin said the event is part of the “Go Outside” campaign and will feature cornhole, slip-and-slide kickball and a nighttime movie with popcorn, cotton candy and snowcones. The nighttime movie will be family-friendly and will start at dusk.

July 25-27, 10 a.m. to noon: Toddler event @ Painted Sky Center for the Arts, 118 S. Washington St., Canyon City

Friday, July 29 and Aug. 5, time TBD: Ceramics event for tweens (ages 8-13) at the Painted Sky ceramics studio, 118 S. Washington St., Canyon City

Friday, Aug. 19 and 26, time TBD: Teen ceramic days at the ceramics studio, 118 S. Washington St., Canyon City

TBD: “Pop-up” events at the Canyon City Farmers Market

Saturday, July 9 and 23, Aug. 6 and 20 at dusk: Family movie nights collaboration with Parks and Recreation @ Grant Union High School football field, 911 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day

Movie list:

Saturday, July 9 — “Boss Baby: Family Business”

Saturday, July 23 — “The Mitchells vs. the Machines”

Saturday, August 6 — “Bad Guys”

Saturday, August 20 — “Clifford the Big Red Dog”