Click on headline for full text of article.

Removing masks and learning self-expression
by Dale Thompson
Date: May 24, 2006
Publication: Park Record (Park City, UT)

Arts-Kids goes to Treasure Mountain International Middle School to work with Latino kids
At a masquerade the revelers typically reveal themselves at the end of the night, this is not always the case with children and teenagers. Some youth have trouble expressing their emotions, but sometimes art can help them through it. Arts-Kids Founder and Program Director, Pat Drewry Sanger has discovered this in her seven years with the organization. "That's what Arts-Kids is all about, building community and facilitating expression," Sanger said. 

Education Foundation thanks district volunteers
by Dale Thompson
Date: May 24, 2006
Publication: Park Record (Park City, UT)

The third annual Community Spirit in Our Schools Award, awarded by the Foundation and the Park City Rotary Club, was give to Arts-Kids, a free after-school program that provides a safe, diverse environment where students can build healthy relationships and foster creativity. "I can't think of anything more encouraging that to be recognized by the Park City Education Foundation, said found of Arts-Kids, Pat Drewry Sanger.

Staples Backs Arts-Kids Program
Photo by: Scott Sine 
Date: April 6, 2006
Publication: Park Record (Park City, UT)

Local Staples manager John Donnelly presents Arts-Kids Executive Director Kris Beer, left, and Arts-Kids Development Director and Founder Pat Drewry Sanger, a check for $5,500 from the Staples Foundation for Learning. The grant will support Arts-Kids' after-school programs, which use the visual arts as the medium through which children learn to express themselves and communicate more effectively. The grant will help to provide scholarships for low-income youth to participate in Arts-Kids' summer camp programs. For more information about the Staples Foundation, visit www.staplesfoundation.org and for more information about Arts-Kids, visit www.arts-kids.org. 

Arts-Kids has new executive director
by Matt James
Date: October 5, 2005
Publication: Park Record (Park City, UT)

Kris Beer now at the helm of arts-based non-profit

She started the job about two weeks ago, soon after helping to launch the Park City Literary Festival as its volunteer coordinator and a member of the steering committee. "The timing was really good for me, because the Literary Festival was over on the 11th and that was right before this," said Beer.

A 13-year Park City resident, Beer comes to the organization with experience as an English teacher and entrepreneur and also with experience in corporate management and volunteer positions with non-profit groups - such as her work with the Literary Festival.

She said the community shouldn't expect any dramatic changes from Arts-Kids as she takes over the organization. "Things are going well," she said. "You don't fix it if it's not broken." Beer said that initially, her challenge would be to make the public more aware of what exactly Arts-Kids is about. "My main goal is to get the image, and what the organization is about, and get that out more than it is now," she said. While she said many people in the community know about Arts-Kids, she said that not all are fully aware of the organization's methods and aims. Arts-Kids isn't simply an art education program, she noted. "We're a youth development program using art as a medium of expression," said Beer.