Kids & Art delivers free, trauma-informed creative arts and wellness programs that address the emotional, social, and psychological needs of children and families facing pediatric cancer and serious illness. Our programs offer children and families moments of agency, connection, and creative expression during an otherwise overwhelming time, and include:

-The Artist-in-Residence (AiR) program brings professional artists to pediatric patients at two care centers in the Bay Area each week. The AiR works closely with hospital staff to identify patients in need, and creates with them 1-on-1 at bedside, in infusion rooms, or in small groups in waiting rooms.

-Amaeyzing ArtKits are all-in-one art projects curated by professional artists that contain all materials, written instructions, and a QR code to a pre-recorded instruction video featuring the artist who created the kit. Projects are about process, encouraging patients and families to explore materials, ideas, and techniques. ArtKits are sent to children’s hospitals and patient homes throughout the U.S.

-Destination Workshops, held throughout the Bay Area and hosted with partners such as Pixar Animation Studios, Chabot Space & Science Center, and the San Francisco Zoo, bring pediatric patients and their families together for joyful, community-based creative experiences beyond the hospital, taking the venue as a point of departure for art-making.

-Custom Workshops, for patients in treatment, hospice, or for bereaved family members, pair families with professional artists to create personalized one-on-one art experiences that support reflection, memory-making, and healing.