Having an art club is a great way to keep students involved throughout the year. With limited time in the classroom, art club can serve as a nice supplement for those students who can’t get enough art. An art club also allows you the opportunity and freedom to try new things with students.
Recently, one of my colleagues mentioned she wanted to start up her own art club. She asked me what it takes to make my art club a success. If you are passionate about starting an art club, this helpful guide will make sure you start it off on the right foot.
5 Steps to Making Your Art Club a Success
1. Decide on a time.
Choosing the right time will be crucial to keep attendance high. In my case, my middle schoolers were already involved several morning activities. So, it was important that I chose a time when students were available.
To help choose the right time, I used Google Forms to survey those interested in art club. This allowed me to see a summary of results in a bar graph. Our best time to meet turned out to be Monday and Friday mornings, so we will alternate to include as many students as possible.
2. Fundraise for supplies.
We have various fundraisers throughout the year to help raise money for our art club’s art supplies and annual field trip. Fundraising allows students to get out into the community and talk with others about art club. It helps raise money and build advocacy for your art program. It’s a win-win!
3. Make t-shirts to show your art club pride.
Similar to a team jersey, team shirts are a great way to show you are united proud of your club. And what better way to show art club pride than by making your own t-shirts? This is a great opportunity to teach your students about screen printing.
Students will love seeing their artwork on dozens of shirts and wearing them on the days they have art club! You can also wear the shirts on any field trips your club participates in.
4. Display the students’ work.
There are many ways to display your students’ art club work. One idea is to partner with local businesses. It helps spread the word about your program to community members. It also gets your art club excited to know that their work is on display for all of the public to see! These partnerships create a win-win for both parties involved.
5. Go on an art club field trip.
Taking your art students on a field trip is an experience they will never forget. You will be able to have powerful conversations with them about what they see throughout their time with you.
Having an art club is very rewarding. The energy these students bring is amazing, even at 7:30 am!
Art club gives me the freedom to try complex projects that I might not attempt with 100+ students. I hope this helps you organize an art club at your school if you do not already have one.
Do you have an art club at your school or have you thought about starting one?
What is your favorite part about having an art club?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.
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