International Artist’s Day is a global celebration of the power and joy art brings, and its importance in our lives! That includes art in all its forms — painting, dance, sculpture, poetry, photography, film, music, and more.
Each year, on October 25th, we show our support for artists around the world; those passionate, creative and mold-breaking individuals who enrich our lives through beauty, give a voice to social issues and movements that impact us all, and who show us the world in a way we might never have imagined.
Celebrate the artist in all of us with crafts and games, compelling documentaries, and classroom-ready resources below. And be sure to check out our list of some of the region’s most loved arts institutions.
Jump to article sections:
Art Projects, Crafts & Games
Pinka-Perfect Band Game
Grades PreK-2
In this game from Pinkalicious and Peterrific, your child can explore music and sounds by building unique instruments and joining in song with Pinkalicious and her friends!
Write and Play Found Poetry
Grades PreK-3
Found poetry, often described as the literary equivalent of a collage, is when you take existing words, phrases or passages and re-frame them to create poetry. Help your child play with words and express herself to create found poetry.
Family String Puppets
Grades K-3
Make fun string puppets featuring members of your family and then host a family puppet show!
George’s Moving Art Machines Game
Grades K-5
Your child can join George in his workshop to create kinetic art that moves with this online game from Arthur!
Three Ways to Make Art From Rubbish With Nigel Poor | KQED Art School
Grades 6-12
Nigel Poor is a photographer who spends time documenting everyday existence, exploring the meaning of the traces of ourselves that we leave behind. She focuses on ordinary objects and materials, researching what makes an object “worthy of preservation,” in her words. Watch this KQED Art School video and then try out the three art-making activities inspired by Poor and her artistic process.
Classroom-Ready Arts Resources
Learn & Grow: Milestones in the Arts
Grades PreK-3
Children are eager and playful creators. The arts help them explore, make sense of their world and express their thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Develop your child’s creativity with this collection of activities and articles for children ages 2-8 on PBS KIDS for Parents.
Artsville
Grades 3-8
Welcome to Artsville, where learning about art takes center stage! Learn dance, drama, music, and visual art concepts by watching fun animations in both English and Spanish with this collection on PBS LearningMedia.
Sound Field
Grades 6-12
Sound Field is hosted by LA Buckner and Nahre Sol, accomplished musicians and music teachers exploring the music theory, production, history and culture behind our favorite songs and musical styles. Pop, classical, rap, jazz, electronic music, folk, country and indigenous music are covered with highlights on the connections between genres.
KQED Art School
Grades 6-12
Art School is a KQED web video series that introduces contemporary artists who discuss their careers and intentions, then demonstrate hands-on techniques or concepts. Art School provides resources for learning how to break dance, draw comic strips, create animations, and much more. Empower folks of all ages to engage with contemporary art, and discover new ideas for creativity from a variety of professional artists through this fun and engaging series.
If Cities Could Dance
Grades 6-12
If Cities Could Dance is a Webby Award-winning video series featuring dancers from cities across the United States. Step into the shoes of dancers from across the country who dare to imagine what it would look like if their city could dance.
Local Focus on the Arts
Enjoy local, arts-focused Mountain Lake PBS specials and series all year-round.
SOUNDSCAPES
Local musicians and stunning scenics take centerstage on SOUNDSCAPES. Filmed at the historic Strand Center Theatre in Plattsburgh, NY, SOUNDSCAPES is a showcase of talented artists who call the North Country home. Enjoy a variety of genres ranging from jazz to bluegrass and more all paired with stunning scenic footage of our region.
Spotlight: Native American Artistry Series
Spotlight: Native American Artistry Series, produced by Paul Larson, is a multi-part Mountain Lake PBS documentary series. Viewers join Native American artists as they discuss their work, including pottery and painting, the historical relevance of the pieces, and the updating of traditional motifs for modern viewers. Featured artists include Mohawk cradleboard maker Babe Hemlock, Mohawk pottery artist Natasha Smoke Santiago, Mohawk storyteller Kay Olan, and Seneca basket maker Penelope Minner, amongst others.
A Spotlight Special: Jean Arthur’s Birthplace Celebrates the Star
A Spotlight Special: Jean Arthur’s Birthplace Celebrates the Star showcases the creation of an outdoor mural in downtown Plattsburgh, painted by Plattsburgh native Brendon Palmer-Angell and coordinated by Outside Art: The Plattsburgh Public Art Project. It depicts local native Jean Arthur, star of some of the greatest films of Hollywood’s Golden Age such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Shane.
Spotlight Special: Creating an Adirondack Folk Opera
Explore the creation of Promised Land: an Adirondack Folk Opera and learn about the creative process, and people, behind the making of the production. The opera relates the story of the 1840’s Adirondack settlement, named Timbuctoo, with themes including civil rights, voters’ rights, and racial issues in the era before the Civil War in America – topics that remain poignant in modern times. Educational resources and classroom activities are available on PBS LearningMedia to help students investigate the interdisciplinary intersection of the arts and history using selected clips from the documentary.
Local & Regional Arts Organizations
Learn and create with a variety of North Country museums, galleries, and arts and cultural centers!
Plattsburgh State Art Museum
Located on SUNY Plattsburgh’s campus, the Plattsburgh State Art Museum features several permanent collections of western and non-western art, ranging from ancient to contemporary, displayed within their main galleries, an evolving outdoor sculpture park, and exhibition areas throughout the campus. The museum also houses an expansive collection of artworks from famed regional artist, Rockwell Kent, including paintings prints, drawings, dinnerware, books, photographs and more.
Adirondack Center for Writing
The Adirondack Center for Writing brings people and words together. The ACW cultivates the art of writing and the joy of reading; celebrate the power of language to invite discovery, to create an understanding of people and sense of place, and to build a community. Check out what’s new and newsworthy at ACW and be sure to visit their Saranac Lake location for drop-in reading, writing, and community time.
The Hyde Collection
The Hyde Collection combines the intimacy of an historic house with the sophistication of a larger art museum complex. One of the northeast’s exceptional small art museums, four galleries offer a changing schedule of world-class exhibitions, featuring distinguished collections of European and American art. The Hyde offers significant national and international exhibitions, and a packed schedule of events that help visitors to experience art in new ways.
Strand Center for the Arts
An active Arts Center and historic Theatre in downtown Plattsburgh, NY, the Strand Center for the Arts offers rich cultural experiences and arts education for all ages and skill levels in the visual arts, music, dance, literary arts, and more. Patrons from across the North Country and beyond can enjoy gallery exhibitions, artisan markets, community events, and live theatre performances year-round.
Traditional Arts in Upstate New York
Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY) is dedicated to showcasing the folk culture and living traditions of New York’s North Country. This includes diverse customs and traditions ⎯ like storytelling, music, crafts, foodways, and folk art ⎯ that make life special in our region, from the St. Lawrence River to the Adirondack Mountains. Take in exhibitions at the TAUNY Center and North Country Folkstore, or get involved in making some art of your own with one of the many community-driven research projects TAUNY hosts.
Lake Placid Center for the Arts
The Lake Placid Center for the Arts is a year-round performing and visual arts facility. Located in the Adirondack Park of Northern New York, the LPCA presents music, dance and theatre performances, film exhibitions and visual arts presentations. The Arts Center also provides arts classes, workshops, and residencies for aspiring and renowned artists.