June News
Spring Thing & Accessibility Arts
REACH invites the community to a FREE Spring Thing Open House featuring art activities, and an Accessibility Arts Community Art project and exhibit in our gallery and studios. Join the fun. Make your mark on a 6 inch canvas that will be added to the Accessibility Arts Mural the same day. The Accessibility Arts Community Project and art submitted by our Accessibility Arts Workshop attendees will be on exhibit for the month of June at REACH and in July at the Lansing Art Gallery and Education Center. The inaugural Accessibility Arts Exhibition, is the result of a partnership between REACH and the Lansing Art Gallery and Education Center, funded in part by the Community Foundation.
Spring Thing schedule:
11:00-3:00 participate in the community art project, or some other art making activities.
1:00-2:00 Accessibility Arts Exhibition Opening
All activities are FREE and open to the public.
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT FOR HIGHSCHOOLERS: A five-day, filmmaking crash course, learning from professional filmmakers with experience writing, directing, and editing independent films both locally and nationally. This course will cover basic storytelling techniques and working in teams to write, direct and edit your own short film. If you’re interested in filmmaking and are looking for an opportunity to develop your skills, then please join us!! Instructors: Kenneth Nelson Jr. and Brian Brinkman.
Summer Camps and Classes
Summer camps and classes are open for registration! Sign up today to reserve your spot in a REACH Art Camp. We’ll also be running many of our core programs for an 8-week summer term like MASH, Walk-In Wednesday, Life Drawing, Clay Classes, Arts Incubator (“Summer Art Club”), snd Creative Tots. Some spots are already full, hurry to sign up! All summer camps and youth classes have full and partial scholarships available for families who qualify based on household income, along with an extended day option from end of camp to 5:30pm! Take a look at all the great camps and classes going on this summer!
SUMMER CAMPS
M-F 12:30-3:30 $180 (Full and Partial Scholarships available)
AGES 14-18
July 24-28 Cinematic Storytelling
High Schoolers!! Don’t miss out on this special opportunity to work with professional filmmakers: Ken Nelson Jr. and Brian Brinkman to learn the art of filmmaking.
AGES 6-10
June 12-16 Art & Nature Drawing & Printmaking
June 19-23 Art Reuse & Recycle
July 10-14 On Stage: Performing Arts
July 17-21 Fiber Arts FUN
July 31-Aug 4 Art In Our World
August 7-11 Art from Natural to Extraterrestrial
AGES 10-13
June 12-16 Digital Arts & Photography
June 19-23 On Stage: Performing Arts
June 26-30 Art & Nature Drawing & Printmaking
July 10-14 Masks & Animal Sculptures
July 17-21 Fun with Film Making
July 24-28 Fashion Fiber Upcycle
Welcome Incoming Executive Director:
Melissa Keeley!
Welcome to our Incoming Executive Director who begins her new adventure with us at REACH on June 1, shadowing Alice Brinkman, founder and current executive director until Alice’s retirement in March 2024. Melissa is the first new Executive Director after almost 20 years of leadership by REACH founder, Alice Brinkman. Melissa comes to REACH from Lansing Christian School where she held the position of Director of Development. She also has development experience at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio, and received her master's degree in Cultural Policy and Arts Administration from the Ohio State University. Melissa is also a talented professional photographer! She will be starting her new adventure at REACH this June, co-leading and shadowing with Alice Brinkman, founder and current executive director through the remainder of 2023.
We look forward to this next chapter in REACH’s history. Welcome Melissa!
Congratulations and Thank-you Ian!
It is always hard to see great people depart, but we are excited for Ian in his new adventure—heading off to Pittsburgh PA to start a Masters program in Arts Administration at Carnegie Mellon University. Ian has spent the last two years at REACH, first as Administrative Assistant and then as Operations Manager, wearing many hats to keep things running smoothly from the “backend”. We are going to miss Ian, but congratulate and wish him well as he heads off to Pittsburgh for grad school!
Programs at REACH are made possible in part through funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, The City of Lansing, Capitol Area United Way, Lansing Exchange Youth Foundation, The Arts Council of Greater Lansing, the Community Foundation, MSUFCU - Desk Drawer Fund, the Mariel Foundation, and generous individual donors.
