For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Courtney Finn
Minnesota Children’s Museum
Director of Strategic Communications
cfinn@mcm.org
612-940-3280

Spring Teaching Artist Series at Minnesota Children’s Museum Lets Kids and Families Explore Acting, Animation and Solar-Powered Visual Art

New series kicks off during spring break, offering collaborative, creative experiences for families planning staycations

St. Paul, Minn. – Minnesota Children’s Museum today announced the lineup for its upcoming Spring Teaching Artist Series. From April to early June, three local artists will provide museum visitors with opportunities to become an actor, be part of a stop-motion animation video and create a solar-powered sculpture that celebrates participants’ individual super powers.  

Through the Teaching Artist Series, visitors work with real tools and materials, collaborate with others and develop a greater understanding of what it means to be an artist.

The teaching artist series underscores the museum’s commitment to providing dynamic, diverse experiences that spark children’s learning and development through hands-on activities. Art opens up new pathways for communication, invites creative expression and encourages problem-solving.

Series Launches During Spring Break

This new series launches the first week of April, when many kids in the Twin Cities are on spring break. The full schedule includes:

• Become an Actor with Aimee Bryant

Visitors will collaborate with each other and with Aimee to embody characters from various fairy tales. Participants will learn and put into practice acting and storytelling techniques, and play out storylines using costumes and props. Aimee is a professional actor, singer, songwriter, poet, dancer and choreographer. She most recently played the role of Addaperle in “The Wiz” at Children’s Theatre Company.

Schedule:

• Create and Animate with John Akre

John will create a gigantic animation station and collaborate with visitors to create stop-motion films. Kids will use props, direct the action, star in the video and/or provide sound effects. Participants will immediately see the animation on a monitor and a final video will be shared on MCM.org and social media. John has more than 20 years of experience teaching animation and video classes to youth and adults.

Schedule:

• Let Your Super Powers Shine with Gita Ghei

Gita will work with kids to create a Rainbow Spinner, a solar-powered sculpture that celebrates light and the formation of rainbows and colors. Using aluminum and copper foil, each visitor will create a distinct piece of art that represents their own unique super power. This artwork will be added the spinner, which will be installed in the museum’s Tip Top Terrace in summer or fall. The spinner will rotate on sunny days through solar energy. On cloudy days, visitors can pedal a stationary bike to power the sculpture. Gita is a visual artist and educator whose mission is to create public art that celebrates diversity and the essential forces of nature.

Schedule:

For more information, visit mcm.org/teaching-artist-series.

The teaching artist series is supported by the Hearst Foundation and the Minnesota State Arts Board.

About Minnesota Children’s Museum
Minnesota Children’s Museum is dedicated to sparking children’s learning through play. Our vision: “Kids play more. Adults do, too. We thrive as a happier, healthier and more innovative community through the radiant power of play.” The museum serves more than 500,000 visitors each year at its locations in St. Paul and Rochester, and reaches thousands more across the state through Smart Play Spots, Storyland exhibit and other programs. Visit mcm.org for more information.