View Class Descriptions on our Calendar Page

Nature Consortium’s Youth Art Program (YAP) enables some of King County’s most underserved youth to access quality out-of-school programs that augment their education, while also exposing them to artistic, environmental, and cultural experiences that enrich their lives — at absolutely no cost to them.  The program aims to increase participants’ artistic skill, advance participants’ environmental learning and awareness, foster positive identity, and increase social competence. Our two anchor locations are based in subsidized public housing communities in Rainier Vista and Yesler Terrace, but we also offer classes on a fee-for-service basis at community centers and libraries around King County.

Each year, we provide over 300 days of out-of-school programming.

Spring 2013 Schedules 

Yesler Community Center

Mon, Wed-Fri: 4-6pm · Tue: 3-5pm

  • Monday: Hip-Hop Dance
  • Tuesday: Organic Gardening
  • Wednesday: Eco Art Workshops
  • Thursday: World Music
  • Friday: Natural Voices

Rainier Vista

Mon, Tue, Thurs: 4:30-6:30pm at RV Boys & Girls Club
Wed & Fri: 4-6pm at RV Neighborhood House

  • Monday: Teen Cuisine
  • Tuesday: Hip-Hop Dance
  • Wednesday: World Art
  • Thursday: Eco Art
  • Friday: African Drumming, Dance & Song

Seattle Public Libraries

Sundays 2-3:30pm

  • Apr 7: Nature Flags, Greenlake
  • Apr 14: Leaf Masks, Magnolia
  • Apr 21: Nature Flags, Montlake
  • Apr 28: Nature Flags, Northgate
  • May 5: Leaf Masks, Delridge

Classes We’ve Offered in the Past

  • 2D: Illustration, T-Shirt Design, Murals, Printmaking, Collage, Painting, and Paper Making
  • 3D: Jewelry, Mosaics, Ceramics, Kites, Origami, Masks, Toys, Art You Can Eat and Illuminated Creation
  • TECH: Photoshop, Illustrator, Web Design, Kinetics, U-Film, Magnetic Levitation and Photography
  • WORD: Spokenword, Storytelling, Songwriting, Poetry, Zines and Creative Writing
  • MUSIC: African Drumming, Keyboard Recording, Guitar. Piano, Percussion, Music Production & Voice
  • MOVEMENT: Martial Arts, Street Dance, Gardening, Hiphop Dance, Theatre, Lion Dance and Capoeria
  • View all of our previous class offerings.

Top 10 Skills Children Learn From the Arts

Read the full article by Lisa Phillips in The Washington Post.

  • 1. Creativity
  • 2. Confidence
  • 3. Problem Solving
  • 4. Perseverance
  • 5. Focus
  • 6. Non-Verbal Communication
  • 7. Receiving Constructive Feedback
  • 8. Collaboration
  • 9. Dedication
  • 10. Accountability

Become a Teaching Artist with Nature Consortium!

We are always looking to expand our class offerings to introduce the youth to a wide variety of art forms and ideas. If you are interested in teaching with Nature Consortium, please send the following items to carla@naturec.org.

  1. Nature Consortium Teaching Artist application (required)
  2. Resume/CV (required)
  3. An example of your work (recommended)
    - Website link
    - JPEG or PDF of work/art
    - Video or link to performance (dance or music teachers)

Thoughts From a Youth Art Program Intern

My Summer as a NatureC Intern (Summer 2012)