THE ARTS

The arts are an important way for children to connect to their culture and community and to explore their self-expression. The arts program at the library offers youth opportunities to learn drawing and painting, arts and crafts, and traditional dance and music.

Drawing and Painting

Students interested in learning to paint and draw meet weekly at the library center to receive class from a talented local youth artist. Many students have been attending class consistently for several years and have grown impressively as artists. Students follow a series of lessons and projects over several years that lead them through the acquisition of a wide range of basic and advanced techniques, moving from line drawings, to shading, to color mixing and finally to painting. Students that show particular talent assist with the classes and eventually replace the teacher as teachers grow older and move on to college.

Arts and Crafts

Arts and crafts activities are extremely popular at the library. The librarians have developed a large repertoire of projects they have done with children over the years. Many mothers in the community also enjoy sharing their knowledge of arts and crafts. Children love to make these projects and take them home as gifts to their families or as house decorations. Schoolteachers who see the results of these projects are inspired by them and duplicate the lessons with their own students.

Music and Dance

Nicaragua has a beautiful folkloric tradition in music and dance. Different dances originated from Nicaragua’s different regions. Modern Nicaraguan music is a mixture of indigenous and European, especially Spanish, influences. Musical instruments include the marimba (a wooden xylophone) and guitar. At the library, high school students who are on an ABREN scholarship frequently provide their community service in the form of music and dance classes for younger children.