The 3rd floor of the Arts Center hosts a wide variety of instruction and meeting rooms including a mirrored ballet and creative movement space, a "dirty" room for clay creations, a well equipped photography dark room, and other arts education spaces for all ages and skill levels. These spaces may also be rented based on availability.

Visual Arts Classes for Children ages 2-5
October 2009-March 2010, Tuesdays 9:30-10:30am

Our classes at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center will introduce preschool aged children to myriad visual arts activities, help them discover new interests and develop critical skills to prepare them for an academic environment. Children ages 2-5 can sign up for free for any one of the following 4-week sessions. Classes are 9:30-10:30am on the 3rd floor of the Arts Center on Main Street in Merced. Space is reserved on a 1st come, 1st served basis, so don’t delay! Local artist Christine Machado, who holds a degree in Studio Art from Santa Clara University, emphasis in Early Childhood Education, is a favorite among hundreds of families in the Central Valley.

Class size is limited to only 12 children per session. Registration deadline is one week before the first day of session. If you do not show up for the first class of your session, your spot will be given to a child on the waiting list.

Come be creative with us! Each four-week session will provide new activities that will include art activities, stories and games. Wear old clothes or bring a large T-shirt to put over your child's clothes and bring a box to carry wet art projects in.

Call or email today before it’s too late!

Class Sessions:
October 6, 13, 20, 27, 2009
Nov 3, 10, 24, Dec 1, 2009
January 5, 12, 19, 26, 2010
February 2, 9, 16, 23, 2010
March 2, 9, 16, 23, 2010

Merced International Folkdancers
Presents 2010 Winter/Spring Classes
January 21st through May 27th, 2010
Instructor: Memo Keswick

From January 21st through May 27th, 2010 the Merced County Arts Council (MCAC) is offering Beginning / Intermediate International Folkdance classes. The classes are on Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:00pm on the 3rd floor of the Merced Multicultural Arts Center in downtown Merced, 645 West Main Street. The class is $40 for 6 weeks of classes, or $7 per session. Register ahead or at class.

Come with or without a dance partner! The class teaches beginning and intermediate level line, circle and couple folkdances from around the world. You’ll dance to music from Romania, Russia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, Croatia, Israel, France, the U.S.A, or other countries. More than the dance repertoire will be taught. You’ll learn to recognize different world folk music styles and rhythms, social etiquette in community line or circle dances, and universal dance step patterns. Learning these basic dance step patterns will increase your dance confidence and speed up the learning of new dances (even in other dance styles).

The class is designed to have fun, exercise, and to meet new friends! You’ll find the instruction very supportive and non-intimidating. You’ll also learn about the opportunities to perform these dances with other California communities and to live music!

Come join the fun, get some healthy low impact exercise, and meet new friends! For more information, including scholarships or discount opportunities, contact instructor Memo Keswick at 209-723-4016 or memok@saber.net.

Looking for great children's activities this summer?

Check out Merced ComVIP, a collaboration to reduce violence in our community. There you'll find information what's being offered from places like College for Kids, Playhouse Merced and the Boys & Girls Club, to name a few.

The Merced County Arts Council also sponsors the year-round Enrichment Center program which offers skills enhancement activities for adults with learning disabilities. For more information call the Enrichment Center @ (209) 388-1162