Batavia art studio seeks money for charity kids programming

Water Street Studios in Batavia is looking for help to continue offering after-school art activities to kids who otherwise could not afford them.

The studio is asking for $5,000 in donations, through “crowdfunding.” It is using the website Indiegogo.com; visitors can pledge a donation using PayPal. If Water Street hits its pledge goal of $5,000 by midnight May 21, then the money will be collected. If it doesn’t, the pledge is not collected.

Besides giving money through the site, Water Street officials hope donors will spread the word by sharing links to it on their social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter.

“Art Flow” started in 2009 when artists from the studios taught at a summer camp run by Batavia Apartments.

“It is something to do. It is something outside of their regular days,” said Jim Kirkhoff, Water Street’s development director, explaining the program’s value. The children are exposed to professional artists and learn about different types of art and music.

In 2011, Water Street was able, thanks to grants from Wal-Mart and Boeing Corp., to add twice-a-week after-school programming for children from preschool through eighth grade.

However, those grants are only available every other year, Kirkhoff noted. The Batavia Apartments program is also supported by a grant from the Batavia United Way chapter; the studio hasn’t been told yet if it will get any money this year.

Batavia Apartments offers government-subsidized housing. It is owned and run by Franciscan Ministries.

About 50 children are registered for the apartment program, and 15 to 25 typically attend a session, Kirkhoff said. Water Street also runs an “Art Flow” program for teenagers, at the studios, 160 S. First St.

With 15 days to go, people have pledged $1,711 to the cause.

For more information, visit waterstreetstudios.com, call (630) 761-9977, or email info@aterstreetstudios.com.