MUSEUM MAKING CONNECTIONS
COMMUNITY EVENTS
As part of its commitment to outreach in the community, the Huntington Museum of Art works with groups throughout the year, participating in events offered by various area organizations. This enables us to reach large numbers of children and families. Events have included:
- United Way of the River Cities’ Super Kids, Super Families, Super Saturday
- One4All Annual Disabilities Expo
- Rotary Gardens Summer Literacy and Arts Camp
- Wayne County Kids Day
- Marshall University Sustainability Department Earth Day Celebration
- Downtown Huntington ChiliFest
- Huntington Music and Arts Festival
- Huntington East Middle School Career Day
- Huntington Greek Festival
- Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council Camp Creepy
- Robert C. Byrd Institute WV Makes Festival
Each of these community events serves to introduce large numbers of children and parents–often more than 500 at an event – to the Museum, its educational activities and its exhibitions and programs. HMA’s contribution in support of these events consists of providing an array of art materials and qualified artists/teachers who guide the children and their families in creativity and self-expression. The children attending these events have the opportunity to make a work of art, which they are able to take with them.
MMC: Community Events visits several libraries every summer, with programming tied into that year’s national summer library program theme. Other events, held in miscellaneous venues such as ChiliFest allow us to reach out to people in a variety of locations.
Many of the individuals served at these large community outreach programs may not be regular Museum-goers. Events such as these help the Museum reach people who might not realize the opportunities available for themselves and their children and may pave the way for a lifelong relationship with the arts.