Programs
Art programs for grieving youth
Open Canvas Project offers caring, professionally guided art experiences for youth ages 4–18 in El Dorado and Sacramento counties. Sessions are free to attend, with no fee for participation or materials. Each session is designed to help young people express feelings, build connection, and feel less alone in grief.
What we offer
Programs that create safe space
Our programs use art as a gentle pathway for expression, connection, and support. Sessions are welcoming to youth experiencing grief, with special care for bereaved children and teens. Every session is free, including all art materials.
Open art sessions
Public art sessions are free to attend and include all materials, inviting youth to create in a calm, supportive environment where feelings can be expressed without pressure.
Age-appropriate groups
Programs are designed for ages 5–18, with activities and guidance shaped to meet children and teens where they are, and there is no fee for participation or materials.
Guided emotional support
Professionally guided experiences help participants explore grief through creativity, reflection, and shared understanding.
How it works
What families can expect
We focus on emotionally safe, youth-friendly experiences that support expression and connection. Programs are rooted in compassion, structure, and respect for every child’s grief journey.
Welcoming setting
Sessions are designed to feel calm, reassuring, and inclusive so youth can participate at their own pace.
Creative expression
Art-making offers a nonverbal outlet for emotions that can be difficult to name, explain, or share out loud.
Peer connection
Young people benefit from being around others who understand loss, helping reduce isolation and build belonging.
Community access
Programs are hosted in El Dorado and Sacramento counties to make support more accessible for local families.
Featured program
heARTbrushes grief circles
heARTbrushes is a guided art grief circle for children ages 5–12, created to offer a positive, encouraging, age-appropriate support through creative expression.
In each session, children are invited to paint, create, and reflect in a calm group setting with caring guidance. Sessions are free to attend, and there is no fee for participation or materials.
The program helps young participants express feelings that may be hard to put into words while building connection, confidence, and a sense of belonging. Not to mention that they may become the next Picasso.
Program moments
Creativity in action
A glimpse into the welcoming, hands-on art experiences that help young people express feelings, build connection, and find support through creativity.
