Utah Valley is a good place to grow up creative. Utah households are among the largest in the country, and the valley has built a deep bench of places for them to learn to draw, paint, sing, play an instrument, throw a pot or make something with their hands. Some are nonprofit arts centers with semester-long programs, some are city recreation classes that cost little, some are libraries that lend the tools for free, and some are youth orchestras that rehearse at a near-professional level.
For parents, the challenge is not finding a class but choosing one. This guide covers the main places for kids' art, music and craft classes in Utah Valley, how to pick a class by age and interest, what classes typically cost, how youth orchestras and ensembles work, and how to keep a child's interest alive once the novelty wears off. It draws on the programs' own pages and on our other family guides.
SCERA's Art Studios in Orem
SCERA Center for the Arts in Orem is one of the valley's major community arts centers, and its art studios are the heart of its visual arts program. The studios sit at 340 East 720 South, in the building just behind the parking lot east of the main SCERA Center.
SCERA runs semester-long art programs during the school year and shorter camps during the summer. Its teen classes have included character design and illustration, drawing, and combination art classes, and it has offered a daytime drawing class aimed at homeschool students. SCERA says its art studios are a member of the National Art Education Association and that its curriculum exceeds the national standards for visual arts education.
For older teens and families, SCERA's evening programs add more options. Its monthly Paint the Night and ceramics nights are open from age 16, and a newer tiny-wheel pottery class is for ages 16 and up. That makes SCERA a place a child can grow into, from beginning classes to adult-level evenings.
Provo Recreation's Classes
Provo's recreation department runs its own arts classes for a range of ages, with online registration and lower fees for Provo residents than for non-residents. Its offerings have included a monthly watercolor paint-along for ages 14 and up and classes such as oil painting and printmaking for teens and adults, alongside afternoon classes that fit after school.
City classes are a good first step. They cost less than most private studios, run for a few weeks rather than a full semester, and let a child try an art form without a large commitment. Check the city's art classes page for the current session's schedule, ages and fees.
Libraries and Maker Spaces
Before paying for a class, many families start at the library. The Provo City Library at Academy Square runs free children's programs, story times and summer reading, and it has a Creative Lab for hands-on making. Its Children's Library of Things lends discovery kits, toys and early-literacy kits the way the library lends books.
Library programs are an easy, free way to see whether a child enjoys making things. Our Provo City Library guide covers the library's children's programs in detail, and other libraries in the valley run similar activities.
Pottery, Crafts and Making
Clay is one of the most satisfying materials for children, and Utah Valley has pottery studios with children's classes, hand-building sessions and paint-your-own pottery. Our guide to pottery and ceramics studios in Utah Valley covers them.
For crafts, pour-your-own candle studios such as The Wick Lab describe their sessions as appropriate for all ages, with close adult supervision around hot wax for younger children; our guide to craft studios and paint nights covers the options. Quilting and sewing are traditional family crafts in the valley, and many shops welcome teens in beginning classes; our quilting guide explains how children can start with a simple tied quilt.
Music Lessons
Private lessons are still the backbone of most children's music education. Piano is a common starting point, along with strings, voice and guitar, and teachers work out of home studios, music stores and academies across the valley. Our guide to music lessons in Provo covers where to find a teacher and what to expect.
When choosing a teacher, ask how they structure lessons, how much practice they expect, whether they hold recitals, and how they communicate with parents. A trial lesson is the best way to see whether a teacher and child are a good fit.
Youth Orchestras and Ensembles
For children who play an orchestral or band instrument, a youth orchestra adds what private lessons cannot: playing with others, more challenging music and friends who share the same interest. Utah Valley has several.
The Utah Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra holds auditions in late summer and has held them at Summerhays Music Center in Orem. Check its website for the season's audition dates and deadlines.
The Timpanogos Arts Foundation in American Fork runs the Vivace Youth Orchestra. Players who have been in certain local youth orchestras can register without auditioning, and others can submit an audition video with their registration or request an in-person audition.
Millennial Choirs and Orchestras runs youth choirs and orchestras in Lehi and American Fork, and it says its youth ensembles do not require an audition. Registration is by season, with payment plans.
The American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic in American Fork is an audition-only orchestra for advanced high-school-aged musicians, for students ready for a demanding program.
Youth orchestras ask a real commitment from families: weekly rehearsals, extra rehearsals before concerts, practice at home and fees. Ask about the full season's schedule and costs before registering. Our guide to community choirs, orchestras and bands covers adult groups too, which is useful for parents who want to play alongside their children.
Dance and Theater
Many Utah Valley children find their creative outlet on a stage. Dance studios across the valley teach ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop and ballroom, and competitive teams are common; our guide to dance classes in Provo covers them. Community theaters and arts centers run youth productions and theater classes, and school drama programs give many children their first role.
Choosing a Class by Age
Preschoolers. At this age, the goal is exploration, not skill. Short, playful classes, library programs and open-ended art at home work best. Look for classes that let children make a mess and follow their curiosity, and keep sessions short.
Early elementary. Children this age can follow a teacher's directions, stay with a project longer and begin to learn real techniques. It is a good age to start piano or violin lessons, try a drawing or painting class, or join a beginning dance class.
Upper elementary. Children begin to show clear interests and can handle longer classes and more practice. This is often when band instruments begin, when youth orchestras become an option for string players, and when a child who loves art can move to a semester program such as SCERA's.
Teens. Teens can take on serious training: youth orchestras, portfolio-building art classes, advanced dance or theater. They can also join many adult programs, such as SCERA's evening classes for ages 16 and up. Let teens lead, since their own interest is what will carry them through.
What Classes Cost
Costs vary widely, so it helps to know the landscape. Library programs are free. City recreation classes are usually the least expensive paid option, and Provo Recreation charges residents less than non-residents. Nonprofit arts centers such as SCERA charge more for semester-long programs, which run longer and go deeper. Private studios and private lessons generally cost the most per hour, and youth orchestras charge registration or tuition for a full season.
Beyond the class fee, ask about materials, instrument rental, sheet music, costumes and recital or performance fees. For music, renting an instrument before buying is the sensible way to start.
Fitting Classes Around School
Most children's classes meet after school, in the evening or on Saturdays, and the valley's busiest families juggle several at once. Before signing up, look at the whole week: school, homework, church and family commitments, sports and travel time between activities. One activity a child loves is worth more than three that exhaust the family.
For homeschooling families, daytime classes open more options, and some programs, such as SCERA's homeschool drawing class, are designed for them. Our guide to homeschooling in Utah Valley covers other daytime programs.
Summer Camps
Summer is when many children try a new art form. Arts centers, studios and city programs run summer camps that pack a lot of learning into a week or two, and SCERA's art studios run summer camps alongside their school-year programs. Popular camps fill in spring, so plan ahead. Our guide to summer camps in Utah Valley covers the full range.
Signs of a Good Class
A good class for children has a few things in common. The teacher is patient and encouraging, knows how to teach children rather than just how to do the art, and gives each child attention. The class size lets that happen. The projects fit the age, challenging enough to teach something but not so hard that children give up. And the class ends with something the child is proud of, whether a finished piece, a performance or a new skill.
It is also worth asking how the class handles children who are struggling or bored, how teachers communicate with parents, and whether there is a showcase, recital or exhibit where children can share their work.
Keeping a Child's Interest Alive
Every child's interest in a new activity dips after the novelty wears off, usually a few weeks in. That is normal, and it is not always a sign to quit. Give a class a full session before deciding, and talk with the teacher about how your child is doing.
Keep practice short and regular rather than long and rare, especially for music. Celebrate progress, not perfection: frame a drawing, invite grandparents to a recital, let a child teach a younger sibling what they learned. And be willing to let children move on when an interest has truly run its course. Trying several art forms is part of how children find the one that sticks.
Recitals, Showcases and Exhibits
Performing or showing work is part of learning, and most good programs build it in. Music teachers hold recitals, dance studios stage year-end shows, art programs hang exhibits, and youth orchestras give concerts each season. For a child, those moments turn months of practice into something real, and they give families a reason to celebrate progress.
Some children love the spotlight; others dread it. For a nervous child, practice the piece or the performance at home in front of family first, talk through what will happen on the day, and focus on effort rather than mistakes. Arrive early so the child can see the room before it fills. Afterward, praise something specific, such as a phrase played beautifully or a color chosen boldly, rather than a general "good job."
Renting and Caring for an Instrument
For most families, renting is the right way to start an instrument. Music stores offer rental programs, often with part of the rent applied toward purchase, which lets a child try an instrument before the family commits to buying one. String instruments come in fractional sizes for children, and a teacher or music store should fit the size to the child's arm length and hand size; playing an instrument that is too big makes learning harder.
Teach children to care for their instrument from the start: wiping it down after playing, keeping it in its case, loosening a bow, and keeping it away from heat and cold, which can crack wood or throw an instrument out of adjustment. Bring the instrument to a repair shop if something buzzes, rattles or will not stay in tune.
Art Supplies Worth Buying
Good supplies make a real difference, even for young children, and they need not be expensive. Student-grade watercolors, heavy paper that does not buckle when wet, a few decent brushes and washable markers cover most of what a young artist needs. As skills grow, add colored pencils, a sketchbook, air-dry clay and acrylic paints.
Buy fewer, better supplies rather than many cheap ones; frustration with pencils that break or paint that will not mix is a common reason children give up. Keep supplies organized in a bin or a caddy, so a child can start a project without a hunt, and set rules together about where messy materials can be used.
When a Child Shows Real Talent
Some children show unusual ability or drive, and parents naturally wonder about next steps. The first is usually a more advanced teacher, one who has taught students at that level and can guide a serious student. For musicians, that may mean a youth orchestra with auditions, such as the more demanding programs in the valley, along with summer music programs. For visual artists, it may mean portfolio classes, juried exhibits and summer intensives.
Keep balance in mind. Talented children still need rest, friends and time to play, and the most successful young artists and musicians are usually the ones who still love what they do. Let the child's own interest set the pace, and check in regularly about whether the commitment still feels right.
Making Art at Home
Classes work best alongside creative time at home. A shelf of basic supplies, such as paper, crayons, watercolors, clay and glue, lets children practice what they learn and invent on their own. Set aside a space where mess is allowed, display finished work, and join in now and then; children notice when parents make things too.
For families on a budget, home art costs little, and the library's lending programs and free children's activities fill in the rest. Our guides to family activities in Utah Valley and toddler activities have more ideas for creative time together.
The Short Version
Utah Valley offers kids a wide range of art, music and craft classes. SCERA's art studios in Orem run semester programs and summer camps, with evening classes for ages 16 and up; Provo Recreation offers lower-cost classes with resident discounts; and the Provo City Library runs free children's programs, a Creative Lab and a lending library of kits and toys. For music, start with private lessons, then consider youth ensembles such as the Utah Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Timpanogos Arts Foundation's Vivace Youth Orchestra or Millennial Choirs and Orchestras, whose youth ensembles need no audition. Pottery and craft studios, dance studios and youth theater add more options. Choose by age and interest, look at the full cost and weekly schedule, and give each class a fair chance.
Related Guides
- Music Lessons in Provo
- Dance Classes in Provo
- Summer Camps in Utah Valley
- Homeschooling in Utah Valley
- Pottery and Ceramics Studios in Utah Valley
- Family Activities in Utah Valley
Frequently Asked Questions
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