Arts+ Partners With Local Organizations To Deliver Early Childhood Education Programs

At Arts+, we believe you’re never too old or too young to reap the benefits of arts education. That’s why we partner with local schools and organizations including Charlotte Bilingual Preschool, Charlotte Preparatory School, Families Forward Charlotte, and The Learning Collaborative to deliver early childhood education programs to the Charlotte area’s youngest learners.

Like all of our programs, our early childhood programs provide an accessible, high-quality arts education plus all the benefits it brings. While playing instruments and experimenting with visual art techniques, students develop skills in motor, language, self-expression, pattern recognition, and more.

In music-focused programs like Music Around at Charlotte Preparatory School, early childhood classes focus on discovery and exploration of music, sound, voices, and age-appropriate instruments. “Classes are heavily designed around learning through play, so we seek to have fun songs, games, and activities that make learning natural,” says Director of Music Programs Wes Smith. Through a variety of short activities and songs, our instructors work to expose young learners to new musical ideas including contrast and beat. Students play instruments and toys such as shakers, hand drums, rhythm scarves, maracas, and bells. They clap, sing, and dance, of course!

In visual-art focused programs like ArtsReach at Families Forward Charlotte and Arts for All at Charlotte Bilingual Preschool, students focus on making distinct choices within artwork rather than completing prescriptive activities. Our instructors introduce students to a story or artwork and lead a discussion around what feelings and thoughts emerge. They then show students an art technique and work with students to create their own artworks. In one activity, students discuss a Jackson Pollock painting and then use marbles to roll paint, learning that rolling the marble faster creates a straighter line.

“We end all classes with discussion, allowing students to bring what they have learned to other aspects of their lives,” says Director of Visual Art Programs Caroline Tippette. Students readdress the story or art example, explain why they made the choices they did in their pieces, what worked and what didn’t, and how they can use the skills they learned in other activities.

Arts+ is grateful for support of the ArtsReach program from Assistance League Charlotte, U.S. Bank, and Southminster and the support of the Arts for All program from PNC.