What should an art club newsletter cover?

Cover what the club is currently making, any upcoming deadlines or events like a gallery opening or mural unveiling, what students should bring to the next session, and any materials they need from home. For clubs that are working toward an exhibition, include a timeline so families can plan to attend. Art club newsletters work best when they describe the actual creative work happening rather than just logistics. Families who understand what their student is building are more excited to attend the exhibition.

How do I write a newsletter for an end-of-year student gallery exhibition?

Send two newsletters: one six weeks before the exhibition to introduce the concept and explain what students will submit, and one two weeks before with logistics, date, time, location, and what families will see. 'Our student gallery exhibition opens May 7 at 6:00 PM in the main hallway and library. Each student has selected two pieces from their year's portfolio to exhibit, framed them professionally, and written a brief artist statement that will be displayed beside the work. The exhibition is open to all school families and runs through May 14.'

How do I recruit students for art club through a newsletter?

Be specific about what the club does and who it is for. 'Art club meets Tuesdays after school from 3:00 to 4:30. We work on projects outside the regular class curriculum, currently a large-format mural for the main office hallway. No application is required. Students who are interested in visual art at any level, including students who have never taken an art class, are welcome. Show up any Tuesday in September with your student ID and a willingness to try something. That is the entire requirement.'

My art club is preparing students for AP Art and Design portfolios. What should I tell families?

Explain the AP portfolio process clearly since most families have not encountered it. 'AP Art and Design requires a portfolio of 15 pieces submitted digitally in May. The portfolio has two sections: a sustained investigation (a series of works that develop one idea or inquiry across multiple pieces) and selected works showing breadth of technique and concept. Club sessions focus on developing the sustained investigation and receiving peer and advisor feedback on the series as it develops. Students who complete their portfolio have a strong chance at college credit and, more importantly, a body of professional-level work to show for admissions.'

What platform works for art club newsletters?

Daystage works well because it lets you include photos of work in progress alongside the text, which is essential for an art club newsletter. A newsletter that shows families a photo of the mural in progress, or three examples of student work from the current project cycle, gives families a real picture of what the club produces. You can send to both student and family email addresses and format the newsletter in a way that feels appropriate for a visual arts program.

Art Teacher Newsletter: Club and Activity Newsletter

Art clubs, muralist teams, gallery prep groups, and portfolio workshops all share one challenge: families often do not understand what students are working on until they see the finished product. A good extracurricular newsletter builds that understanding in real time, creates investment in the outcome before the exhibition opens, and keeps students engaged between sessions because their families are asking about the work.

Open with what the club is currently making

"Art club is in week four of our school mural project. The design team finalized the composition this week, a 12x6-foot scene depicting the school's neighborhood in the style of Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry Murals. We transferred the grid to the wall last Thursday and the painting phase begins next Tuesday." That is an opener that makes families want to see the mural when it is done. Compare it to "Art club meets every Tuesday at 3:15 in room 114," which tells families nothing worth knowing.

For a portfolio preparation club: "This week in portfolio club, students completed their first piece in their sustained investigation series. The group is working on a shared theme of personal belonging, but each student is pursuing a different medium and concept. Eight students have completed at least one piece. Seven more are in the planning phase."

Build toward the exhibition from the first newsletter

If the club's work is heading toward a public exhibition, introduce that goal early. "Everything the club produces this semester is being selected, curated, and displayed in our spring student exhibition, which opens May 7. Students will choose two pieces from the semester's work, write an artist statement, and help with the installation. Families are invited to the opening evening." Naming the endpoint six weeks out gives families a date to hold and creates motivation for students who know their work will be seen.

Newsletter template for a pre-exhibition send

Here is a full newsletter excerpt for an exhibition announcement:

"Dear Art Club Families, Our spring exhibition opens Thursday, May 7 at 6:00 PM. This is the public debut of the work your student has built over the past four months. The exhibition will be installed in the school's main hallway and library. Each student is exhibiting two pieces, framed in black gallery frames, with a handwritten artist statement mounted beside them. The exhibition runs through May 14 and is open to all school families during school hours. If you are attending the opening on May 7, doors open at 6:00 and we close at 8:00. Light refreshments will be served. Students are encouraged to arrive by 5:45 to be with their work when the doors open. Dress is informal. No tickets required."

Explain AP portfolio preparation to families who are new to it

Many families know about AP exams but have never heard of the AP Art and Design portfolio. When your club includes portfolio prep work, give families a clear explanation of what the portfolio is and what it means. "AP Art and Design is different from other AP courses because there is no multiple-choice exam. Students submit a digital portfolio of 15 pieces in May. The College Board evaluates the portfolio and awards a score of 1 to 5. A score of 3 or higher earns college credit at most universities. Students who score a 5 often receive advanced standing in college studio programs. Our portfolio club focuses on building the sustained investigation section of the portfolio, which requires a series of works that develop a single artistic idea across at least 10 pieces."

Include photos whenever possible

An art club newsletter with photos of work in progress is a completely different communication than a text-only update. Families who see a photograph of the mural grid on the wall, or a grid of student work-in-progress thumbnails, are engaged in a way that a description alone cannot produce. "Photos from this week's sessions are below. You can see the grid transfer we did on Thursday and the first three color blocks applied on Friday." Make this a habit. Even two or three photos per newsletter changes how families experience the club's work.

Tell students what to bring and what to prepare before the next session

Extracurricular clubs lose momentum when students arrive unprepared. Name the specific preparation for each session. "Before Tuesday's session, portfolio club members should have completed the written response to their concept statement prompt (one paragraph, handed in at the end of last session). Students who did not complete it should bring it Tuesday. Members who are in the planning phase for their second piece should come with two reference images, printed or on their phone, for the piece they want to make next." Specific preparation instructions produce prepared students.

Celebrate student work publicly in the newsletter

Art club newsletters have natural space to recognize individual student achievement. "This week, Nadia Osei completed the most technically ambitious piece the club has seen this year: a three-foot oil pastel portrait that took six sessions and went through four complete revisions before she was satisfied with it. The final piece will be a centerpiece of the spring exhibition." Named recognition in a newsletter families receive builds pride and deepens engagement from both students and their families.