In 2013, the Joy Kingston Foundation embarked upon the mission of providing young children with an introduction to the arts. This program was developed to offer children exposure to the fundamental elements of design. It was implemented through several private and public venues and was intended to either augment or replace conventional arts and crafts programs. The opportunity to offer children life long skill sets utilized by artists and designers of every professional discipline.
Research indicates that early exposure to the arts provides many benefits to children. Art has positive affects by, not only, activating a child’s creativity and imagination, but also, enhances self esteem and confidence. Since art education has been systematically eliminated from the public schools system, it has become a necessity to find a mechanism to return this subject matter to lives of children.
The Joy Kingston Foundation had the privilege of providing creative art and design summer pilot programs at the YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs in Camarillo, CA as well as the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, CA. These programs were provided in a variety of formats. Art and design summer camps offered by the Joy Kingston Foundation to the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club included 9 weeks of varied subject creative curriculum divided into 3, hour long segments. These segments would typically be implemented over a 3 day period. However, The Peterson Automotive Museum program was offered as a single subject, day long workshop format while still addressing all the fundamental elements of design with in a 6 hour time frame.
The Joy Kingston Foundation has received positive feedback from both students and parents alike. The intention is to continue develop, enhance and expand these programs to a wider audience on both regional and national level. The Joy Kingston Foundation is committed providing the public with the benefits of art education.
More information about Elements of Design