CHILDREN AND ART: TAPPING A RESOURCE

It’s going to be a long, hot summer for most of us, but for about 300 children who’ll participate in the Children’s Arts and Ideas Foundation (CAIF) summer program, the season is bound to fly by.

“A Treasure Hunt: Exploring Roots and Links” is the theme of the first program, which begins June 11 and runs through July 6 at Ben Milam School, 4200 McKinney. In the second program, July 9 through August 3, children will learn about theater production.

CAIF is one of the most financially successful children’s organizations in the city, reaching nearly 1,000 children a year. It receives about 99 percent of its money from private and corporate donations. Primarily, it tries to reach artistically talented children from low-income areas of the city who otherwise might not have the chance to be exposed to various forms of art. The courses are taught by art teachers, many of whom have master’s or doctorate degrees in their fields.

The 9-year-old foundation’s past programs have been so successful that a waiting list for summer enrollment is likely. Only about 300 4- to 15-year-olds will be admitted to the June cultural arts program, and the tuition is $220. About 90 percent of the children who apply to the program receive a full scholarship.

Jillian Froebe, who is coordinating the summer program, says that the cultural arts program will be divided into age groups, with 4- to 6-year-olds learning about their heritage through visual arts, drama, dance, music and puppetry.

Children ages 7 to 15 will choose four of the eight classes offered and will study two at a time for two-week intervals. These classes include painting and drawing, ceramics and sculpture, paper and printmak-ing, creative writing and play writing, music, dance, movement and mime, drama and improvisation.

The theater production program is for children ages 8 to 15. The four-week course includes writing, designing and building stage sets, making costumes and acting in an original play. Public performances by the class will be presented August 6 through 10. Tuition for the theater program is $275, but scholarships are available.

During the rest of the year, the CAIF works with nearly 50 other community organizations to find children to participate in its broad range of arts-related programs. Those programs include the popular Touring Art Exhibit, the Touring Children’s Theatre Production and Boing! A Newspaper By, For and About Kids. CAIF also provides a number of community-based workshops featuring classes in art.

For registration information, call the CAIF at 528-5860.