Thanks to generous funding from the Nancy Wolter Scholarship Fund, Mesa Arts Center is proud to offer year round scholarships to youth and teens who qualify! Scholarships are provided up to two times in a calendar year and cover the entire cost of the class. No materials are required to be purchased for youth classes. 

Families can apply online via the link below or visit our Box Office for a paper copy. Families must meet one of the following criteria to be awarded and must include documents demonstrating their eligibility with their application. We strive to provide as many scholarships as possible, so if you need help completing the application, please contact ArtStudioClass@mesaartscenter.com or (480) 644-6621 for assistance. 

Criteria for Scholarships:

• Student receives free or reduced lunches
• Student attends a Title I school
• Family meets 200% or below the federal poverty line
• Child is in the foster care system
• Family is part of a HUD housing system 

Policies:

• Families must meet one of the criteria above to be approved.
• Scholarships can only be used for students under 18.
• Once approved, a child can use the scholarship up to two times in a calendar year. After which, the family will have to reapply to be considered again.
• Families can apply for multiple children in their household with a single application. 

Apply Online Here

Apply Online - En Espanol

• Si tiene alguna pregunta, por favor llama al 480-644-6500.

Download a Scholarship Application Here - English

Download a Scholarship Application Here - En Espanol

Or visit the Box Office during these hours to fill out a paper application. 

Wednesdays - Saturdays | 12-5pm | (480) 644-6500 

Mesa Arts Center requires parents/guardians in every youth camp, class, or workshop to complete youth registration. Registration includes information about the following:

• Approved pick-up guardians
• Medical allergies or health information we should know
• Consent for Photography
• Consent to independently leave class if students are ages 14+

Mesa Arts Center currently utilized ePACT a free online platform for families to keep all information digital. The account stays entirely within the control of the parent/guardian and can be updated over time. Once you complete the paperwork, families just have to update it when information changes, otherwise they will not have to repeat the process again.

• Families will receive an email, upon enrollment in a Mesa Arts Center youth/teen class, 4-weeks before the class will begin. 
• Students in one-day workshops will be prompted to create an ePACT account but can opt for a one-day abbreviated registration form instead on the first day of class.
• Families who do not wish to create an epact account will have to complete a paper form instead.

Click here to view more information about ePACT. 

Parents/Guardians: Please see view our youth policies as well and contact us if you have any questions by emailing ArtStudioClass@mesaartscenter.com or call (480) 644-6538.  . 

This page is to serve as a helpful guide to orienting parents and guardians to our policies for youth classes. If you have any questions, please feel welcome to contact ArtStudioClass@mesaartscenter.com. 

• Classes occur at the same time each week. In the event the instructor is unavailable due to illness or other reasons, you will receive an email or call from the Box Office alerting you. We strive to send out these communications as expediently as possible. 

• For each class or camp, we ask parents/guardians to set up their ePACT account and complete the youth registration containing critical information like who can pick up your child or teen, medical information, food allergies, and more, prior to the first day of class. An email will be sent with the ePACT registration link, 3-4 weeks before class begins. Starting Summer 2024, parents will have to sign in and sign out their child unless they are ages 14 and older. In addition to providing a copy of the driver license for anyone who is picking up a child from MAC class or camp. 

• Students in youth classes may not arrive or leave class on their own unless they are ages 14 and above. If so, the parent or guardian has completed the Independent Check-In and Out Authorization Form acknowledging that your child is authorized to leave the classroom. 

• The safety and security of all people on the MAC campus is our highest priority. For this reason, we do not permit anyone who is not on the registration form to pick up the child. A phone call or email in advance is not sufficient. Please work with your instructor to amend the paperwork if you need to add additional parent/guardian pick-up options. The City of Mesa employs a security company to monitor the campus and will be contacted if there are issues or unauthorized persons on campus. 

• Parents are not permitted to sit in class with their child. We ask that parents wait in the box office, hallways, or enjoy our beautiful campus outside. No adults, other than the instructor(s) and MAC volunteers, are permitted inside the classroom. This also allows for students to fully be themselves and explore their confidence and creativity in a space designed just for them. 

• Please arrive on time or early for pickup. Our instructors are not paid to stay late past 10 minutes the end of class. A fee will be applied to your account each time that you are more than 10 minutes late to pick up your child. 

• All materials and supplies are provided for each youth or teen class. Students may be asked to bring items from home to inspire them or to help with projects that require recycled materials (newspaper, magazines, etc.). No family is required to provide materials or supplies for youth classes.

• All youth classes have the potential for students to get messy while having fun! Please dress your child appropriately. Recommended clothing items are sneakers or close toed shoes, an apron or old t shirt, hair tie for long hair, and no jewelry. All products used are non-toxic and washable or water-based. 

• In the event of injury or illness while in class, instructors will provide students with band-aids, compress, antiseptic, ice packs, or ask them to visit the restroom. MAC staff and volunteers cannot administer any type of medication to your child. Parents/guardians will be contacted immediately for serious injury or illness, or if the child asks to go home following an injury/illness. MAC staff and volunteers cannot provide medical assistance beyond the aforementioned aid, and are trained to ensure they are not exposed to bodily fluids. An incident report form is required to be filled out and kept on record for any injury or illness. Please note that some activities can be more dangerous than others and inappropriate use or intentional mishandling of tools or materials is grounds for dismissal from MAC classes in the interest of safety for all participants. 

• In the event of serious injury, 911 will be called and you will be contacted immediately. 

• Mesa Arts Center may provide pre-packaged snacks and water to camps. As we accept many students via scholarship who receive free or reduced lunches, we offer snacks to help campers get through the day. Food allergies of all students will be reviewed after the first day and MAC will write parents and staff to ensure any known food allergies are not brought into the classroom space. Parents are welcome to send their child with a no-mess snack and water bottle. If you do not wish for your child to partake in snacks offered by Mesa Arts Center, you must enforce this with your child. Mesa Arts Center staff are not responsible for restricting students from taking snacks. 

For additional information, questions, or concerns, please contact the Studios Team at ArtStudioClass@mesaartscenter.com. 

All studio classrooms are located in the North and South Studios building that run along Center Street. Please use the following maps to find your classroom - listed on your receipt. There is temporary parking on Center Street as well as ample free parking on Main Street, 1st Avenue, Sirrine, and the parking lot on the northeast corner of 1st Avenue and Center Street. 

Additionally, there are maps and directional signage on campus. 

Art Studios Directional Map

Made possible by the City of Mesa, Fee Assistance allows up to 50% of a class fee to be reduced for Mesa residents who qualify. Unlike scholarships, Fee Assistance can be used more than once and for every individual in a single household up to one calendar year. Families will need to reapply each year to continue to be considered. 

To be considered, families must meet 200% or less of the federal poverty line and must submit both proof of residency and proof of total income with their application. 

Click the link below to submit an online application or visit our Box Office from Wednesday-Saturday between 12-5pm to complete a paper application. 

Apply Online Here

Download a Paper Copy

For questions, please contact ArtStudioClass@mesaartscenter.com or call (480) 644-6500. 

Open Studio at the Mesa Arts Center provides a dedicated time and space for students ages 14+ currently enrolled in any youth art studios class. It’s an opportunity to extend your creative work beyond regular class hours, whether you need extra time to catch up, enhance your portfolio, or prepare for future artistic opportunities.

If any registered student age 13 expresses interest in Open Studio, the instructor will provide feedback on their ability to work independently, and other relevant factors. Based on this evaluation, a determination will be made on whether Open Studio is the right fit. Please contact ArtStudioClass@mesaartscenter.com to discuss attending Open Studio for students under age 14. 

Benefits of Open Studio

• Provides additional time and resources beyond regular class hours to finish projects, refine techniques, receive additional guidance and feedback from instructors, develop and expand your artistic skills through focused practice and experimentation.

• Create and build a professional-quality portfolio that showcases your best work, essential for college applications and future arts opportunities.

• Participate in Mesa Community College’s Portfolio Day, where representatives from various schools visit to review and provide feedback on student work. Receive valuable critiques and get insights into potential college programs and artistic pathways.

How It Works

Open Studio sessions are held on Fridays from 3:00 PM-5:00 PM. Students must be enrolled in a youth class to participate. This is dedicated studio time and space equipped with the necessary materials and resources to support your artistic endeavors.

*13-year-old students will be considered on a case-by-case basis, provided they demonstrate the independence needed for participation in open studio.

Additional YOUTH Open Studio  $10 – 2 hr Session: Additional Youth open studio times must be used during designated open studio times on Fridays, 3-5pm.

Please Note: Current student enrolled in a class at Mesa Arts Center are normally provide the opportunity to attend 1 Youth Open Studio session per week at no additional cost. Please purchase this additional registration if you need additional time. Registration is $10 per 2 hour open studio time.
 
Open Studio times are subject to change with every new class semester and are monitored by studio leads, studio instructors, artists in residence or a combination of all three. This is a time for students to work independently on projects and not to receive individual instruction. Each student in visual art departments that are offering open studio are entitled to one open studio session per week per class.

Youth Open Studio Schedule
Fridays, 3-5pm