Mark Arts’ return to programming mixes online and in person

Mark Arts’ mantra throughout the closure of its studios and galleries has been “creativity isn’t canceled.”

While some of its events were postponed and exhibitions unavailable to the public due to COVID-19 precautions, the Wichita arts hub that is celebrating 100 years throughout 2020 has issued free, weekly at-home creative challenges through its Facebook page. Last weekend, it began a series of online, fee-based workshops designed for creatives of all ages and levels to “be alone together,” collaborating with an instructor and fellow participants through Zoom.

“A sense of community is really important to a place like Mark Arts, and there’s a lot of camaraderie that develops that keeps people coming back class session after class session,” said Laura Roddy, the nonprofit’s development and marketing director. “We’re grateful for the technology and platforms that allow us to offer these virtual workshops where everyone can interact with the instructor and each other.”

The art and culinary workshops, conducted on Zoom, are priced from $30 to $40 and you can decide who participates in your household. You’ll need to register at least 48 hours before the start of the workshops so you have time to shop using the ingredient list or, for most art classes, to drive to Mark Arts for a minimal-contact pickup of the supply package. Details are sent to you once you enroll online at markartsks.com.

A wine tasting workshop kicked off the Zoom sessions May 2 and registration is closed for a May 8 adult/child cookie decorating class. Here are the remaining sessions:

▪ Jennifer Snook will teach you an entire alphabet and help you create a saying on your provided chalkboard in Modern Calligraphy: Chalkboard Lettering, 4 to 6 p.m. May 11. The cost is $40 including materials kit.

▪ Addie Wise is leading a Couples Paint Night that will result in a canvas painting of the Wichita flag from 8 to 9:30 p.m. May 12. The $45 cost per couple includes a materials kit.

▪ Joe Stumpe will guide your household in making an Asian Sampler meal from 7 to 8 p.m. May 18. The menu includes easy coconut curry, green papaya salad and Korean barbecue. Cost is $30 plus groceries.

▪ Pam Bugler and Simon Bugler, the chef-owners of Wichita-based food trailer Against the Grain, will show you that gluten free and dairy free can still be delicious with a culinary lesson from 6 to 7:30 p.m. May 19. You’ll make a light shrimp ceviche and a dark chocolate Bundt cake. Cost is $40 plus groceries.

▪ Rachel McCabe is leading a Girls Night In: Sunflower Strong workshop to create a sunflower painting from 8 to 10 p.m. May 22. The idea for this one is to put the kids to bed, pour a glass of wine and sign on to Zoom to paint with friends. The $40 fee includes materials.

The online workshops will overlap later in May with the launch of a shortened spring class quarter. If the phased approach to reopening attractions goes as outlined by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, the Mark Arts facility will reopen to the public on May 18 and weekly classes at the studios, 1307 N. Rock Road, will start that week.

Mark Arts’ staff and instructors are adjusting curriculum and setup to allow for the necessary social distancing measures, for example, eliminating group projects and creating individual supply stations that are 6-feet apart versus a shared bin of markers, Roddy said. Studios will be sanitized between each use.

Spring class enrollment is open now. See the full list of offerings for ages 3-13 under the “youth” tab at markartsks.com, from ceramics to drawing, painting and storytelling. There’s a separate “adults & teens” tab for an even broader range of classes for ages 13 and older.

Mark Arts also is enrolling now for its STEAM camps that start in June and run through the end of July, with separate groupings for ages 5 to 8 and 9 to 12. They’ve discounted the usual $120 cost to $99 for each of the weeklong sessions that link art to concepts in science, technology, engineering and math.

The exhibition and event schedule is also being tweaked. This Friday was originally slated as the opening of the Abstract National Exhibition, Mark Arts’ second major exhibition of 2020. Instead, staff will lead a Facebook Live guided tour at 5 p.m. and has changed the opening reception — which regularly draw 300 people — to a reception and juror talk event on June 26. The exhibition will be on display through July 11.

The art center’s calendar is full of events, exhibitions and summer and fall class sessions. Roddy said they will listen to participants’ feedback on how long to continue online workshops.

“If there’s demand for it and our instructors are willing to do it, we’re happy to keep offering the virtual workshops,” she said. “Right now, it’s hard to know what people will prefer. We are finding that along with regular participants, the online activities are a good entry point for people who haven’t taken a workshop or class from us before.”

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article mistakenly said that the chalkboard is not included in the $40 fee for Jennifer Snook’s class on Modern Calligraphy: Chalkboard Lettering. A chalkboard is included.

This story was originally published May 8, 2020 at 12:45 PM.