Community Engagement
Creativity doesn't happen it a vacuum—it thrives on human connection.
More than a college, KCAD strives to be a conduit through which individuals, organizations, and communities can collaborate across the barriers that divide us and leverage the transformative power of creativity to not just envision a better future, but make it a reality.
Learn more about some of our community engagement initiatives below, and contact us if you have an idea of your own you'd like to discuss.
Cultivate @ KCAD: Community Art Classes for Youths and Adults
Immersive and enriching community art classes have returned to the KCAD campus through
collaboration with Cultivate, an independent, artist-run arts organization based in Grand Rapids. Cultivate's
holistic and inclusive learning model is designed to educate and develop fluency with
art tools and language, practice with critique and conversation, and uplift and support
in a safe space for experimenting and creativity. Courses meet students where they
are, providing a slow, intentional, and gentle learning environment that inspires,
challenges, and empowers.
Explore a wide variety of course offerings for youths ages 6-12 and adults, and get
registered today!
Wege Prize Student Design Competition
Organized by KCAD with support from The Wege Foundation, Wege Prize is an annual competition
that ignites game-changing solutions for the future by inspiring college/university
students around the world to collaborate across institutional, disciplinary, and cultural
boundaries to accelerate the transition to a sustainable circular economy.
Wege Prize High School Collaborative Studio
Building on the successful framework of Wege Prize, the Wege Prize High School Collaborative
Studio is a free two-week program that gives West Michigan high school students the
chance to collaboratively learn design thinking and creative problem solving strategies
and employ them to envision solutions to real-world challenges faced by people in
their own communities.
