Parents on the Northern Beaches have a good spread of art studios to choose from, from Mona Vale down to Fairlight. We list ten arts and crafts providers for kids in the area, and all of them are clubs or schools rather than one-off events. This guide shows where they are and how to decide between them.
Where the art studios are
The listings cluster in a few places. Mona Vale has two: Mona Vale School of Visual Arts and Sydney Art Space. Brookvale also has two, Make Your Mark Art and If u like ART studio. The others are spread out: Little Easels Art School for Kids in North Balgowlah, Bowerbird Art Classes in Cromer, Artsie in Fairlight and To the Moon Art Craft Classes for Kids in Frenchs Forest.
Two more, Drama Stars in Bilgola Plateau and Tempo Red-Academy of Performing Arts in Allambie, lean towards performing arts. They may suit a child who likes stage work as much as paint, but check what each one actually teaches before you enrol.
What we don't know yet
We don't have class times, prices or age ranges for these studios, and no arts events or one-off workshops are listed for the area at the moment. We would rather say so than guess. Each studio sets its own terms, so the quickest way to find out is to contact them directly.
Good questions to ask:
- Which age groups do you take, and is there a trial class?
- Do classes run in term time only, or during school holidays too?
- Are materials included, and what should my child wear?
- Can I stay and watch, or do parents wait outside?
Choosing one that suits your child
Start close to home. Travel across the area can take a while at busy times, and a class you can reach easily is one your family will keep going to. If you live around Brookvale, Cromer or Frenchs Forest, there are several studios within a short trip. Families up around Mona Vale and Bilgola Plateau can look at the studios there.
Younger children often enjoy a relaxed class where mess is expected. Older kids may want a studio that focuses on drawing, painting or a particular technique. A studio's own page usually tells you more about its style than a listing can, and some will let your child try one session before you commit.
Keeping up with what's new
We're still adding arts and crafts options across the Northern Beaches, including holiday workshops and local events. When they appear they will show up in the events and clubs below. For the latest on classes, fees and spaces, check the organisers' own pages.
