Art Activities for Kids in Northwest Michigan
Updated: Feb 2

Browse art, dance, music and acting classes for kids in Northwest Michigan.
Art
Arts for All of Northern Michigan
What: Arts for All of Northern Michigan provides arts and cultural experiences to connect people of all abilities.
Where: Traverse City
How: Events, Summer Camp
What: Community art center with year-round exhibits and a gift shop featuring items made by local artists, as well as art classes, dance instruction, yoga, special events, and other programs for both children and adults.
Where: Charlevoix
What: Crooked Tree Arts Center offers exhibits, concerts, classes, lectures, special events and so much more, from campuses in Petoskey and Traverse City.
Where: Petoskey
How: Classes, Summer Art Camps
What: Crooked Tree Arts Center offers exhibits, concerts, classes, lectures, special events and so much more, from campuses in Petoskey and Traverse City.
Where: Traverse City
How: Classes
What: Toddler through teen classes are designed to tap into the joy of artistic exploration, provide the basics of art techniques, and encourage the development of young artists.
Where: Glen Arbor
How: Classes
Interlochen Center for the Arts
What: Interlochen invites students grades 3-12 for once in a lifetime arts education programs designed to hone their skills and nurture their humanity.
Where: Interlochen
How: Online programs, Summer Arts Camp, Arts Boarding School
What: MainStage and Studio Productions, Touring Productions, Classes and Broadway Junior program, Summer Performing Arts Camp, One-Week Intensive and Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop are programs offered as part of the Old Town Playhouse's Young Company.
Where: Traverse City
How: Classes
What: Summer classes for ages 7 and up. Each class will have different projects and activities.
Where: Frankfort
How: Classes
What: Paint your own pottery studio located in downtown Traverse City. Handz On Art offers an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere to come and create works of art.
Where: Traverse City
How: How It Works
What: Offering classes in many mediums including drawing, painting, fiber art, jewelry making, printmaking and more for ages 16+.
Where: Traverse City
How: Classes
What: Community arts and cultural center offering art classes and events
Where: Cadillac
How: Classes
Dance
What: Creative movement, pre-ballet, ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary and pointe classes for ages 2 and up.
Where: Alden
How: Classes
What: One of four Royal Academy of Dance-certified schools in Michigan, the Ballet Academy is a serious and supportive training environment for young dancers to develop and grow.
Where: Arcadia
How: Classes
What: Beautiful Feet Dance Studio offers ballet, tap, hip-hop, jazz, acrobatics, tumbling, musical theater, contemporary, and lyrical dance classes to students ages 2 - adult.
Where: Harbor Springs
How: Classes
What: Community art center with year-round exhibits and a gift shop featuring items made by local artists, as well as art classes, dance instruction, yoga, special events, and other programs for both children and adults.
Where: Charlevoix
How: Dance Classes
Crooked Tree Arts Center School of Ballet
What: The CTAC School of Ballet trains young people in Northern Michigan for careers as professional dancers and artists. The School of Ballet offers professional training in ballet and alternative dance techniques and concepts.
Where: Petoskey
How: Ballet Registration
What: Dance exploration, ballet, jazz and lyrical classes for kids 3 and up.
Where: Traverse City
How: Classes
What: Ballet, Tap, Celtic, Hip Hop, Pointe, Lyrical, Jazz, and Pre-School Classes.
Where: Kalkaska
How: Classes
What: Dance studio in Petoskey for students of all levels.
Where: Petoskey
How: Classes
Interlochen Center for the Arts
What: Interlochen invites students grades 3-12 for once in a lifetime arts education programs designed to hone their skills and nurture their humanity.
Where: Interlochen
How: Online programs, Summer Arts Camp, Arts Boarding School
What: Lyrical, jazz, ballet, contemporary, tumbling and hip hop dance classes for kids.
Where: Kingsley
How: Classes
What: The Landing Dance Academy offers classes in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, Irish and Ballroom in downtown Cadillac.
Where: Cadillac
How: Classes
Northern Lights Irish Dance and Ballet Academy
What: A dance academy located in Cadillac, committed to bringing traditional and quality dance training to students.
Where: Cadillac
How: Ballet Academy, Irish Dance Academy, Summer Dance Camps
What: Pre-Ballet, Beginning Ballet, Beginning Jazz/Modern classes at the Old Art Building in Leland.
Where: Leland
How: Classes and events
What: Classes in ballet, jazz, tap, celtic, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, acrobatics, contortion and musical theatre for ages 3 and up.
Where: Manistee
How: Classes
Music
What: Community art center with year-round exhibits and a gift shop featuring items made by local artists, as well as art classes, dance instruction, yoga, special events, and other programs for both children and adults.
Where: Charlevoix
How: Music Class
Dorothy Gerber Strings Program
What: The Dorothy Gerber Strings Program offers opportunities for students from four years old through seniors in high school, including in-school strings classes, individual lessons, and a growing youth orchestra program
Where: Petoskey
How: Programs
What: A group of professional musicians who entertain, inspire and educate students of all ages, bringing music instruction to area schools and music programs to foster a love for music and musical performance.
Where: Harbor Springs and Petoskey
How: Programs
Interlochen Center for the Arts
What: Interlochen invites students grades 3-12 for once in a lifetime arts education programs designed to hone their skills and nurture their humanity.
Where: Interlochen
How: Online programs, Summer Arts Camp, Arts Boarding School
What: Private lessons in guitar, piano, band instruments, bass guitar, ukulele, mandolin, theory and composition for all ages.
Where: Suttons Bay
How: Lessons
What: Together with the little ones, sing, move & groove, play with instruments, learn and laugh through music, yoga, story time and mindfulness.
Where: Traverse City
How: Book a session
What: Piano, mandolin, violin, viola, guitar, banjo, bass, oboe, voice and music theory online and in-person classes.
Where: Frankfort
How: Classes
Northwestern Michigan College Children's Choir
What: The Northwestern Michigan College Children’s Choir is a program of exemplary choral music performance that develops high levels of artistic, expressive singing for students in Kindergarten through grade nine in the Greater Grand Traverse Area.
Where: Traverse City
How: Auditions, Kid's Choir Camp
What: River City Music School offers piano, drum, guitar and bass lessons, plus Kindermusic.
Where: Manistee
How: Lessons
Sun Radius Music International
What: Sun Radius features drum and percussion lessons with Dave Warne as well as a wide range of musical instruments for sale.
Where: Traverse City
How: Lessons
What: The Beat Lab is a facility/community committed to providing real world musical experience for students of all ages and experience levels. The Beat Lab has classes for drums, percussion, guitar, bass, and music theory as well as rock camps, drum line, percussion ensembles, recording services, etc.
Where: Traverse City
How: Classes
What: Tom Kaufmann offers childhood music education programs such as the Traveling Musical Instrument Petting Zoo at various schools, museums, libraries and other children's events.
Where: Traverse City
How: Music Education
What: In-person and online lessons available for piano, voice and strings.
Where: Traverse City
Theater and Acting
What: Community art center with year-round exhibits and a gift shop featuring items made by local artists, as well as art classes, dance instruction, yoga, special events, and other programs for both children and adults.
Where: Charlevoix
Interlochen Center for the Arts
What: Interlochen invites students grades 3-12 for once in a lifetime arts education programs designed to hone their skills and nurture their humanity.
Where: Interlochen
How: Online programs, Summer Arts Camp, Arts Boarding School
Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts
What: The Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts (RRCA) is a performing and visual arts organization that preserves the historic Ramsdell Theatre.
Where: Manistee