For Zaylia (13), being creative is as much about making something beautiful as it is about connecting with her family. As a third-generation artist, Zaylia has been coming to artsPlace with her mother, Beth Durupt, and two brothers, Zaden and Zowen, since the beginning.
“We have been coming to artsPlace with our family since the opening 10 years ago,” says Beth, who introduced all three children to the arts from a young age. “I want them to find what they love, and artsPlace supports the variety of art exposure.”
Over the years, Zaylia has taken multiple classes at artsPlace, including pottery, painting, and mixed media—but when a stained-glass workshop launched last year as part of the Youth Arts Collective, it quickly became her new favourite.
“My grandparents used to do stained glass, and I loved learning something they had talked about,” she says. “And the finished product is awesome!”
For Beth, one of the most meaningful things about artsPlace is the chance for her children to keep trying new things without cost becoming a barrier. Through programs supported by the Discover Art Fund—like the Youth Arts Collective, Family Sunday artsPlay sessions, and free workshops at the Festival of Art and Creativity—families can explore the arts together in ways that are welcoming, affordable, and meaningful.
"Having classes at no cost, or very minimal cost, has been so important," Beth says. "Raising a family in the valley is expensive for everyone, but for us, having to navigate multiple family members with disabilities adds another layer of expense that would have normally been used for these activities."
By supporting free programming, community outreach, and subsidies for low-income individuals and families, the Discover Art Fund helps remove barriers that might otherwise keep people from participating in the arts.
Now officially a teenager, Zaylia anticipates coming to artsPlace for many years to come, to continue discovering new passions and cultivating her interests.
“It helps me relax,” she says, adding, “I like sharing what I make with others.”
“That’s my favourite part, too. Listening to them tell me about how they created their piece,” says Beth. “It’s great to see how proud they are of what they produce.”
