Oklahoma City, OK – Children visiting Oklahoma City’s Festival of the Arts will have a special place to visit this year.
Kid’s activities – including the interactive Children’s Art Field, Pottery Place, face painting, the Young at Art Mart, and more – will take over the area surrounding City Hall.
“Providing an area where young people can explore the arts and express themselves is at the heart of why we hold the Festival of the Arts,” said 2022 Festival of the Arts Co-Chair John Semtner. “Kids who take part in the arts will understand why they matter to us as people and a community.”
The 56th Annual Festival of the Arts will take place April 19-24 at Bicentennial Park in downtown Oklahoma City.
Additional details on our offerings for kids:
- The Children’s Art Field, presented by Brewer Entertainment, features $3 art packets containing supplies for children to make their own masterpieces. Projects this year include a tie-dye butterfly made using coffee filters and markers, as well as a bendable popsicle stick snake. Art projects can be completed at the Children’s Art Field tent or be taken home to finish.
- Pottery Place, presented by Express Employment Personnel International, is a hands-on attraction letting kids select, glaze and fire their own pot or vase ($5-$20) using the ancient technique of raku. Collin Rosebrook and the artisans of Paseo Pottery will be there to guide kids through this one-of-a-kind experience.
- Festival of the Arts would not be complete without face painting. Pay $1 for a simple design or $5-15 for something more elaborate from Bricktown Clowns. Make sure to send Arts Council OKC a picture of your design on social media using #OKCFA.
- The Young at Art Mart lets kids start their art collection for anywhere between 50 cents and $5. This area is only open to patrons ages 5-12, and buyers are limited to one piece. We encourage parents to let kids enter the tent and browse on their own.
- Creation Station is a collaborative community sculpture that will grow and change throughout Festival. Children and adults will add their own flourishes to this larger-than-life artwork. The collaborative piece this year features three colorful murals. Participants are encouraged to come make a flower out of cupcake liners that will be added to the murals to create a 3D texture.
- The Youth Art Sale (Saturday only from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) features the next generation of Oklahoma artists. This one-day, juried sale showcases creators ages 8-18 and provides a unique opportunity for emerging artists to sell their work at the same event as professional artists.
“The Youth Art Sale is a wonderful event, not only for Festival-goers looking for wonderful pieces of art but for nearly two dozen young Oklahomans getting the opportunity to sell their art at Festival,” said 2022 Festival of the Arts Co-Chair Kristen Torkelson. “We hope this will serve as a great learning opportunity for Oklahoma’s future artists who will hopefully be part of the Festival of the Arts for years to come.”
A map of Festival of the Arts can be FOUND HERE.
A full list of Festival of the Arts performers, food vendors, and visual artists can be FOUND HERE.
