Our mobile art studio had a busy summer this year!
The 2022 season of the Creative Cube was a hit! Our accessible mobile studio brings arts into every corner of our community. As a 40-foot-long bright yellow race trailer, the Creative Cube is a beacon of accessibility and creativity. This year, we had over 20 events at community venues, schools and more - our biggest season yet!
Starting off strong, one of the Creative Cube’s first ventures into the community this summer was to the new Special Olympics Inclusion Center, where we provided art activities to kids attending the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services Kids Kamp. Campers eagerly visited each of the three art activity tables to create their own unique masterpieces, including butterfly mobiles and marble paintings. Before leaving, the group was also a part of a collaborative art project, painting a large canvas by swiping paint with squares of card-stock. The collaborative piece was given to Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services to keep in their office as a reminder of the exciting creative day. The Community & Partnerships Manager, Erica Chapin, shared,
“The flexibility and choices available with the Creative Cube was a perfect fit for our kids, and they all had so much fun!” She explained that they have a different theme for each day of camp, and art is a great theme for them because “it’s something everyone can participate in and express themselves with creativity.”
Later in the summer, the Creative Cube visited LMCU Ballpark for a Whitecaps Game. Sports fans stopped by the Creative Cube to make art with us on their way into the stadium, including personally decorated fans to keep cool on the hot summer day. Our very own ACTion Drummers performed the National Anthem on the field before the game with contagious joy and energy! To close off a great evening, the Whitecaps won the game and fireworks followed!
Soon after, the Creative Cube traveled to the Creston After Dark Block Party hosted by Lions & Rabbits Center for the Arts. Our giant bright yellow mobile art studio caught the eyes of families and friends as they explored the event. With a variety of activities including chalk painting, obstacle courses, drumming and instruments, making mobiles, sketching, and shadow tracing, everyone had something they wanted to do with us!
One of Creative Cube journeys at the tail end of this summer was to the Fulton Street Farmers Market in Midtown, Grand Rapids. As people visited booths of local artists and farmers, the Creative Cube caught their attention at the north end of the market. We had on-theme art activities including printmaking with fruits and vegetables, and garden coloring pages – made possible in part by the Grand Rapids Chamber and the Michigan Film & Digital Media Office.
ACT’s Community Arts Coordinator, Allison Palm, is the face of the Creative Cube. She shared that her favorite part of the Creative Cube experience is when community members take a moment to be creative together. “Even if it's just for a few minutes, the Creative Cube gives people a reason to pause and make something beautiful with one another”.
With a successful season coming to a close, we are so incredibly happy of the impact made; and we’re looking forward to another outstanding season in 2023!
Follow @CreativeCubeGR on Instagram to find out where you can visit the Creative Cube in spring 2023!