At the school holiday display there is a great selection of winter reading, as well as entry forms for The Great Te Aka Mauri Winter Reading Challenge. By entering the reading challenge, children can win prizes just for reading.
There will also be Busy Bags available during the school holidays, featuring crafts and activities to take home.
There is a range of free and paying events and some require booking, so it's worth getting in early. Go to the Rotorua Library website for more information, and to book.
Lakes Performing Arts Centre owner Natasha Benfell says its Evolve Band/Beat Producing programme is a great option for any budding artists out there who want to make use of the tutors' experience.
Tutors AJ Moke and Caitlin Newson will be holding the youth musicianship programme (8 to 16 year olds) to explore stagecraft, collaboration, studio environments and more.
It is being held on Wednesday, July 13, 9am to 3.30pm. The cost is $75 per person or $60 with an LPAC student discount. Email info@lakesperformingarts.com to book a slot.
There will be creativity flowing from those who attend The Arts Village's Holidays Arts Academy.
The academy is where young artists (8-12 years) can learn new skills, make new friends, try new materials, and create cool art to take home.
Holiday Arts Academy kaimahi Natalie Rudd says during the July school holiday period she will be running a varied and exciting programme of activities from Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 3pm, each week.
The overall theme of the programme is storytelling and self-expression.
"The students will be using inspiration from myths and legends to try out new art forms and techniques, and create artworks."
She says in week one they begin with the popular junk journals day where they decorate an art journal. On Wednesday they will recreate famous artworks – The Scream and The Starry Night.
Thursday is diorama day, where the students will create a scene from their favourite story/movie/cartoon using a shoe box and a wide range of craft materials which (if enrolled) may be used on the Friday for making a claymation. In claymation they will learn how to use clay to create a character and manipulate it to create a short stop-motion animation film, as well as have fun making flip books.
The academy's week two begins with the popular tie-dye day. On Wednesday is musical mobiles, using a range of gathered materials such as keys, cutlery, and stained-glass crafts such as sun-catchers.
Thursday explores various printing techniques, including screen printing. Students will be able to screen-print a design onto a brought item such as a bag, tea towel or T-shirt.
The programme finishes with wearable art day, where the children will have the opportunity to create amazing fashion using a range of recycled and craft materials. They will also learn how to use polymer clay and paper to make jewellery, culminating in a fashion show.
"I think these are a great opportunity for the kids as there is rarely time for 'art for art's sake' in the school curriculum, so our aim is to introduce and encourage creativity and experimentation whilst honing existing skills."
Cost is $30 per day per child. All materials are supplied, but BYO kai, sunscreen/hat, and drink bottle. For more information and to enrol, go to www.artsvillage.org.nz.
Natalie says it is always difficult to keep kids entertained on rainy or cold days.
"It can be a good idea to collect a box of craft items for such days, such as scrap cardboard packaging, old fabrics, wrappers, discarded wrapping paper, ribbon, as well as a range of colouring materials. Pinterest is also an amazing resource for creative ideas."
