Kids at the DAI
Comics Camp 2023
Looking for art activities in Duluth, Minnesota for your creative kid? The Duluth Art Institute offers free gallery visits for all ages and classes for young artists.
Youth Classes
Events
Teen Open Studio (Fall 2026)
Explore your creativity in a laid-back atmosphere at the Duluth Public Library's Teen Space. Bring your headphones and creative ideas—art supplies provided, but bringing your own also welcome. Registration covers all 26 sessions, but attending…
Youth Photography Club
8 Sessions | SUNDAY CLASSES MEET 2:00–3:30 | This twice-monthly educational session is open to any 13+ youth wanting to express themselves creatively through photography. Club meetings include field trips, individual and group projects, short…
October Free ArtDAI
A beloved tradition. Stop in for a FREE, casual, creative art-making afternoon and learn to make simple, fun crafts that can be customized for artists of all ages. Craft handmade make-and-take essentials for an evening…
Kids at the DAI Studio
There are classes and events for artists of all ages at the DAI Studio (Lincoln Park Building), but not every program is intended for all ages. Here are some guidelines to help get kids involved:
- Before registering for any program, pay attention to the age range listed on the registration page. If you or your child fall outside the age range, please contact DAI Education Manager Jesse Switters at jswitters@duluthartinstitute.org to check if the range has flexibility.
- Except for summer camps and specified youth classes, children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Current Exhibitions
August 3, 2026 October 2, 2026 America/Chicago Ish Meets a Mermaid Ish Meets a Mermaid is a short film based on a reimagined Ojibwe story, directed by Jonathan Thunder, produced by Vera Bianchini, co-written by Tashia Hart, with cinematography by Jeff Saunders. This exhibition reveals the artistry of the cast and crew who brought Ish Meets a Mermaid to life. As viewers enter the exhibition, they are guided through the journey of the film’s creation with behind-the-scenes moments from production, original props, storyboards, costumes, and stories shared by the cast and crew, finishing with an in-gallery viewing of the film itself. By expanding our view outward from the finished product, the exhibition reveals the many layers of artistry, collaboration, vision, and labor required to produce a project like Ish Meets a Mermaid. This exhibition encourages the viewer to follow their curiosity about the process of filmmaking, and recognize the invisible creative work that goes into an art form as accessible as film. Artists Jonathan Thunder director, co-writer, and co-star Vera Bianchini producer Tashia Hart co-writer Read more about the artists in the sidebar Explore the audio tour, extended content, and ongoing virtual exhibition on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Part of our 2026 "We Hold These Truths" programming. Funding for this program provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. Duluth Art Institute
August 3, 2026 October 2, 2026 America/Chicago Send Flowers Send Flowers takes the postcard as its medium. A postcard, often overlooked as ephemera, becomes a centerpiece in the language of care and human relationship. This exhibition asks the viewers to notice visual language in their day to day—the billboard we pass by, or the digital consumption of art on our personal devices. Art surrounds us—let’s slow down and smell the flowers. Mailable postcards fill the gallery walls with an illustrated garden, each adorned with unique, hand-designed flowers, inviting viewers to pause, pluck their floral of choice, write a note on the back, and mail it off, sending a little piece of the exhibition to someone they love—all from within the gallery. The gesture recalls the universal symbolism of flowers and the lost art of hand-written mail. Transforming a small act of connection into a lasting, collaborative art experience. Explore the audio tour, extended content, and ongoing virtual exhibition on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Part of our 2026 "We Hold These Truths" programming. Funding for this program provided by the National Endowment for the Arts Send Flowers is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. Duluth Art Institute
Kids in the Galleries
The DAI Galleries welcome guests of all ages. Here are some helpful guidelines to ensure our youngest visitors can enjoy the artwork in a way that is safe and respectful of the space, the artwork, and other gallery guests.
- Please do not touch the art! Parents, please hold the hands of kids that may be too young to remember this rule.
- The galleries are a place for careful walking, no running or playing. Always pay attention to where you are going so you don’t walk into any artwork.
- The artwork may deal with difficult or mature themes at times. Pay attention to content warning signage, and ask a DAI team member if you have questions about the content of a specific exhibition before introducing it to a young viewer.
- All children must be closely accompanied by an adult at all times.
- Ask at the front desk about coloring pages, activity books, or other handouts.
- Use the QR codes or Bloomberg Connects lookup numbers to listen to exhibition audio tours. The Bloomberg Connects app and website is free and great for non-readers and readers alike.
Registration Policies
- Tuition must be received two weeks prior to the class or camp start date to ensure both your place and adequate class materials.
- If there is insufficient enrollment 7 days prior to event date OR on listed registration deadline, the DAI may cancel the event, notify registrants, and refund all payments including deposits. Last-minute cancellations may also occur for weather, emergency, or instructor illness.
- Class tuition includes a $10 non-refundable registration fee, not including subsequent sessions of multi-day classes. Camp tuition includes a $25 non-refundable deposit due upon registration.
- Students cancelling two weeks prior to the first day of class or camp are eligible for a refund, not including deposits or registration fees, unless class is marked “non-refundable.” Refunds cannot be made after classes begin.
- Student Members are not eligible for membership discounts on classes.
- No refunds available for fundraiser tickets and other paid special events.
Online registration with credit card payment preferred. To pay by cash or check, contact Jesse Switters jswitters@duluthartinstitute.org. Following payment, check all inboxes for a confirmation email.
Check calendar details for event-specific policies.
Accessibility
DAI Gallery (US Bank Building) events – Accessible parking is available nearby on Superior Street and in the pay lots in the Holiday Center and Duluth Transit Center. An elevator to all floors is available in the US Bank Building. DAI galleries are located on the 4th floor. In-gallery seating available.
DAI Studio (Lincoln Park Building) events – There is accessible parking in the lot at the back door, and a ramp to access the second floor.
Building hours, locations, and driving instructions
Scholarships
Scholarships may become available at times. For more information, or to request a partial or full scholarship for a class or camp, contact Jesse Switters jswitters@duluthartinstitute.org.