Blue Mountains News

The new ARTbabies sessions will be led by artists Jennifer Brady and Lauren Gero, starting in the 2024 Christmas/New Year break and continuing throughout all 2025 school holidays.

ARTbabies will take place at both the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre in Katoomba and Blue Mountains Theatre in Springwood.

Early exposure to art has been proven to have a positive impact on cognitive and emotional development, and Blue Mountains City Council has worked to fill a gap at times when most playgroups, story time and childcare facilities are on break.

The free program includes guided tours of current exhibitions, allowing children and their carers to explore the artworks up close. Following the tours, young participants will engage in creative activities inspired by the pieces they've seen, such as drawing, painting, or crafting, which help to reinforce their learning and spark their imagination.

By participating in these activities together, children and their carers will share in the joy of discovery and creation, fostering a sense of connection and mutual appreciation for the arts – while having fun along the way.

Funding has been secured from Museums and Galleries of NSW to run the sessions, and facilitating artist Jennifer Brady expressed her excitement in bringing the program to young families in the Blue Mountains.

“I have such an appreciation for community-based arts programs and the role that they play in building creative communities.ARTbabies will offer a unique opportunity for development and family bonding,” Brady said.

“This grant funding will allow the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre to expand programming and offer a holistic approach to early childhood development through creativity and expression.”

Blue Mountains Council CEO, Dr Rosemary Dillon said: “We are thrilled to bring this new program to Blue Mountains families.

“The arts have a strong place in the life of any community and we are lucky to have a range of arts facilities run by Blue Mountains City Council in our community.

“ARTbabies will help build early positive connections with our existing community facilities enabling young people to grow up with a sense of place, a new creative spark, and knowing resources are available for them across every stage of life.”

Dates for 2025 sessions of ARTbabies will be available soon. Visit the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre’s website at bhere or Facebook for updates and registration details in early December.