Increasing cultural programming in the North: Library art program fills community gap

While there are many opportunities for youth to get involved in sports in La Ronge, arts and cultural activities are few and far between. It’s not due to a lack of demand, though, which is why the Alex Robertson Public Library approached local artist Annalisa Heppner to get involved. She was initially asked to paint a mural in the library, but ongoing discussions led to the idea of also holding art classes for children.

The resulting Arts in the Library project was funded through the Northern Youth Cultural Fund and aims to improve the accessibility of cultural programming and activities in the area.

The classes, held in fall 2024, were incredibly popular, reaching full capacity with wait lists. Twenty-four children aged seven to 12 grew their art-making skills over eight weeks. While Heppner does not have a background in teaching, she soon discovered she has a knack for it. She engaged the students with a variety of media, including acrylic paint markers, chalk pastels, and mixed media.

“I was proud to see the growth that took place over the course of eight weeks, particularly in the older kids’ confidence levels and the younger students’ engagement and focus levels,” Heppner says. “Providing creative opportunities for youth is a great way to strengthen their connections with community, and more art is always a good thing.”

Sean Stares, library administrator, Alex Robertson Public Library, says the program was a rare opportunity for youth in the area to receive quality instruction in the arts.

“Children’s arts programs are usually on the simplistic side, but this was definitely on the art side,” says Stares. “Annalisa is a fantastic mentor to these children. She’s very patient and gives them quality advice and techniques you don’t usually get in a children’s art program.”

The kids loved the program and participated fully, with near-perfect attendance. More than 60 people attended. An open house was held at the end of the program to present the resulting artwork to parents, friends, and members of the community. “Everybody loved it. The children had a great time, and their parents were all very complimentary of the space and the incredible art projects,” says Stares.

The La Ronge Arts Council also invited the art program students to display work in their annual Student Art Show. “It’s important to show kids that it’s a viable option to pursue art, whether professionally or non-professionally,” Heppner says.

The Arts in the Library program was so successful that parents started asking them to provide art programs for adults. Due to community demand, the library held another session of kids’ classes with Annalisa and has plans for more programming with her. “The Northern Youth Cultural Fund is such an amazing grant,” says Stares. “It’s a great opportunity for us, and we’re going to continue to apply for new and unique arts programming.”