Art In The House Hits the Streets With Field Trips to Kiaca Gallery

Children from GCAC’s new arts education program are learning about art from a very reliable source – prominent local artist Talle Bamazi, owner of Kiaca Gallery in the Short North.

Participants in the program visited Kiaca Gallery last month and this month to study the gallery’s current exhibition and learn more about drawing and about Bamazi, a West African native and founder of the gallery.

Art in the House—a partnership with the Columbus Federation of Settlements and TRANSIT ARTS—has officially begun programming in three of the seven Settlement Houses with plans to expand to a fourth this fall. In January, the Greater Columbus Arts Council received $250,000 from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners as part of this new initiative, allowing staff members to hit the ground running with programs starting in February.

Modeled in part after GCAC’s award-winning Children of the Future program, Art in the House allows children 5- to 12-years-old to begin their connection to creative thinking, leadership and lifelong learning through the arts.

Asia, one of the participants in the Art in the House program, said she’s learned how to “create different things.”

“(I learned that) anyone can do art!” Asia said during her field trip to Kiaca. She said she also liked hearing about Bamazi and “the art he had pictured in his heart. ”

Bamazi, a father of two boys, said he loves helping kids learn more about art and culture.

“Children that visit the gallery are like my own kids,” he said. “They provide me with energy… they inspire me to work on my art.”

In addition to Art in the House, GCAC has partnered with TRANSIT ARTS, a local arts program for teens, to offer programming for students through 12th grade. Together with TRANSIT ARTS and the Columbus Federation of Settlements, GCAC plans to organize and connect local artists, arts and cultural organizations and independent arts education programs into a comprehensive network of accessible opportunities for students. Special focus will be placed on the needs of children during out-of-school hours.

In addition to working within the Settlement Houses, GCAC and its partners will also provide activities at other community sites. All programs will be free and open to the public.

Chelsea, an Art in the House participant, thinks more kids should get involved with Art in the House. She enjoyed looking at the art at Kiaca and plans to participate in more Art in the House programs.

Chelsea said her family has been influential with helping her appreciate art and culture.

“My dad has always been good at art, and I guess some of that just rubbed off on me,” she said.