Over 100 participants attended the 29th annual 4-H Creative Arts Celebration at Kettunen Center from Oct. 19-20, 2019.

For nearly 60 years, Michigan 4-H’ers and volunteers have explored their inner creativity and learned new talents at 4-H’s skill-building workshops at Kettunen Center.

The Michigan 4-H Creative Arts Celebration Workshop (which is a combination of the former 4-H Visual Arts and Crafts Workshop and the 4-H Clothing and Textiles Workshop), took place at Kettunen Center in Tustin, Michigan, Oct. 19-20, 2019 for its 29th year.

Even though the name is creative arts, 4-H Youth Development educator Janis Brinn says “This workshop is so much more than doing arts and crafts; it is gaining life skills.”

Many sessions were offered at the workshop including 4-H performing arts, 4-H visual arts, and sewing and textiles. Participants learned new things, made new friends and put all their creativity to work and had a fabulous time. The workshop goal was for all the participants to gain valuable resources and skills and share them with their home counties.

Over 100 participants attended the workshop, including youth ages 12 to 19, volunteers and a guest 4-H staff member from Taiwan.

The collected evaluations showed that the workshop was a success. A few positive comments included:
“I look forward to this every year. I gain so much knowledge and new craft ideas to take to my club.”
“I loved all my sessions, instructors were amazing, and I learned so much. I can’t wait to share with my county.”
“Learned a variety of crafts that can be taught to different age groups.”

Each year a silent auction and fabric sale is held at the workshop to raise funds for following year’s workshop and the 4-H State Awards.

The 4-H China Art artwork, featured in the MSU Extension article, “Michigan 4-H receives special gift of artwork from China,” that was proudly displayed at the 2017 workshop was brought back for all to see.

The Michigan 4-H Creative Arts Celebration Workshop was successful in growing creativity, life skills, friendships, fun and more.

MSU Extension and Michigan 4-H Youth Development help prepare youth as positive and engaged leaders and global citizens by providing educational experiences and resources for youth interested in developing knowledge and skills in these areas.