At Leighton Art Centre we believe that understanding the relationship between humans and nature is one of the most important lessons of our time. We want to give kids a head start by fostering the creativity they need to flourish and become future stewards of nature. We also know that art is an ideal platform for making connections and creating deeper understanding.
Your 4-hour on-site program will explore the Foothills on our 80-acre facility and tour the galleries and museum at Leighton Art Centre. With your choice of art project, your field trip will be guided by an artist-instructor who will promote visual literacy, thoughtful observation, and critical thinking. Lessons will be tailored to your students’ age and ability. Our wide range of art projects allows you to make important curriculum connections to the learning presented in our programs.
2024-2025 Art & Nature Children’s Programming Guide
$640 per studio (bursaries available)
1 ticket (1 studio) – up to 32 students
2 tickets (2 studios) – up to 64 students
Important: Museum Tour Alternative Presentation (Mondays and Specific Dates)
Our museum is unavailable for field trip tours on Mondays and certain dates during the year. Instead, we will bring artifacts from our collections for your students to interact with. They will have a dynamic experience, learning about the Centre’s history and how to handle and preserve important artifacts!
The following dates are affected in 2024:
Please fill in our bursary questions in the booking form. Leighton Art Centre will provide financial assistance while funds last. Bursary funds are made available thanks to generous donors and foundations. If you’d like to make a donation to the bursary program and provide kids with transformative experiences with art and nature, contact Christina Cuthbertson, Executive Director: christinac@leightoncentre.org.
28 WORKING DAYS notification required or a charge of $100.00 will be incurred. This does NOT include WEATHER-RELATED CANCELLATIONS.
Is there a minimum number of students to attend? No, we don’t have a minimum number for attendance but there is a flat rate of $640 per studio based on 32 students for one ticket (studio). Please book 2 tickets for 64 students.
How do I access the bursary? Please fill in our financial assistance questions in the booking form. All schools are eligible. Funds are distributed first-come-first-served.
Is there a maximum number of classes our school can bring to Leighton? Our two studios have a maximum capacity of 64 students when both studios are booked. Please divide your group so that there is no more than 32 students per studio.
How many projects can we do in a day? All field trips include one art project per studio. Your day also includes a sketchbook session, nature walk, and museum and gallery tours.
Will we have time for lunch? Yes! Our itinerary allows for 30 minutes for lunch. Please bring your packed lunches and pack all garbage back to school. Play time must be supervised by teachers and/or volunteers.
Should I bring payment with me? Yes, invoices will be sent to the booking teacher a week before your scheduled date. We accept cheques or credit card payments over the phone.
Is it free for adults to attend the field trip? Yes, teachers and volunteers are free to attend. We recommend a ratio of 1 adult per 8 children.
Still have questions? Please contact Coreen Thornhill, Public Programs Manager at education@leightoncentre.org.
Leighton Art Centre education programs are generously supported by Calgary Foundation.
The privilege of Leighton Art Centre’s presence on 80 acres of foothills landscape within Treaty 7 territory is combined with respect, humility, and responsibility to be caretakers of the land. We acknowledge the people of these ancestral and traditional lands, which include the Niitsitapi – Blackfoot Confederacy – comprised of the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani; the îyârhe Nakoda – Stoney Nakoda – including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations; as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and Otipemisiwak Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. We also recognize that many more First Nations, Métis, and Inuit have marked these lands with their footsteps. We are grateful for all people who make their home in, or visit, the Treaty 7 territory of Southern Alberta, and who act as respectful stewards to this land, where we learn, create, and build relationships in meaningful ways.