Have a budding artist in your family, a kid who loves to create beautiful art creations with paint, crayons, markers, watercolors, glitter glue, etc.? If it is a growing passion for your nieces or nephews, you may want to consider throwing an art gallery party in celebration of Youth Art Month.
 
1. Art Displays
The party centers on hanging your nieces’ and nephews’ wonderful artwork throughout your home. Work with them to create titles for each piece and place these beside the pictures.
 
2. Museum Brochure
Put together a brochure featuring some of your nieces’ and nephews’ art pieces with a little description about each creation. Also, make sure to interview your little artists and include a bio sheet in the brochure. When guests enter to peruse through your art gallery, they will receive a brochure.
 
3. Dress Code
Have your artists dress up for the showing. Have a camera on hand to take pictures of your guests with the artists. Also, you may want to have a video camera out to also record the conversations throughout the exhibit.
 
4. Food
Serve light appetizers and drinks to your guests. Using your artists’ favorite colors, create an inviting table with small plates, cocktail napkins, and plastic glasses. Cheese, fruit, and veggie platters with an array of dips would be perfect.
 
5. Open House
The party is best organized as an open house for guests, both kids and adults alike, to peruse through your gallery, enjoy something to eat, and drink and chat with one another.
 
6. Activity
After people have walked through your gallery, have a table set up where the kids can create their own artistic creations. Lay out construction paper, crayons, markers, glitter glue, etc. You can have a wall in this area where these creations can also be hung up.
 
7. Creative Guest Book
Another idea, after people have looked through your gallery, have an empty journal book open for guests to record their comments—just as you often find at museum exhibitions. This will be a wonderful keepsake from your party.
 
This is a great party to put together as it will give your nieces and nephews the experience of “officially” showcasing their work and receiving positive feedback—an excellent way to support their talents. Also, it is an easy party to do on a budget!

Published: March 5, 2013