Arts Unleashed: Parent Interview with Yasmin and Neil Malik

Watch our Parent interview with Yasmin and Neil Malik to hear firsthand what children experience and how they grow at Arts Unleashed.

Transcript of the interview

How did you know that Arts Unleashed was the right fit?

Neil

Our daughter went to daycare just upstairs from Annika's studio. So every day when we dropped her off and we picked her up, there's a door that has a small window in it, and our daughter would poke her head in there with such curiosity. And Annika, being the person that she is and so genuine, welcomed her in to investigate and see what was going on in her room.

It's just that little spark, a little connection Annika was able to make with our daughter. We said, "Oh, you know what, let's just give this a try and see how it goes." And what is it, like four years later, we're still there. Sophie can't talk enough about that place.

She's free to express herself without worrying about making a mess or anything like that. And just the way her art, the art side of her, has blossomed. We know that we made the right decision by going to that place.

What's unique about Arts Unleashed?

Yasmin

It allows kids to explore their creativity without worrying about rules, perfection, or mess. And it's a space where imagination leads the way. Annika has all these themes for different camps that she has. The theme projects are thoughtful and original, and there's so much freedom for each kid to make their piece their own.

One thing I really liked about summer camp was at the end of a week, the kids got to put on a showcase. So they got to show the different art pieces that they made, and they're so proud to present it. There's a framework, but everyone has their own touches to it, which is really awesome.

Was there any personal growth you saw in your child?

Neil

One comment her teacher always makes, whether it was in grade three or grade two or grade one, is that Sophie really stands out when it comes to her artwork. When she was younger, I put paper up on all the walls, on the floor, and let her go crazy. And I think that with Annika, she conducts her classes in a similar way.

She'll give you a workstation, and she'll set very, very little boundaries, but at the same time, they're boundaries in such a way that made my daughter really put thought in and expand on her artistic ideas. So let's say, for example, Sophie goes in for an art class there at Annika's, and the theme is ocean. She won't say to Sophie, "Okay, Sophie, so you have to choose either it's underwater or above water." She says it's ocean. So now just everything that comes to your head; just go ahead and do that.

That's made Sophie really kind of think what is included when it comes to those different kinds of themes, and it's actually made her look at more books in relation to those different art themes and stuff like that. So when those times come due, she's actually able to contribute a lot to her project.

How can a parent support their child to get the most out of this experience?

Neil

It's very important that whether it's Annika's class or even artwork that she brings home from school, the parents really acknowledge the work they did because they put a lot of time and a little effort into it. And it's not only an expression of them, but I think at this age, at least, they're really trying to impress their parents. So it's important that parents not only contribute to bringing them there, but also acknowledge what beautiful work they did.

Yasmin

The work they do lets them explore their ideas and materials and the stories. So just acknowledging that creative side in them, it just makes their world light up.

What would you tell other parents about the overall value of sending kids here?

Yasmin

There's so much value in sending your child to Arts Unleashed. We do half-day camps on PA Day. It splits up our day, but the projects are focused. And it's actually like a lot of kids from the neighborhood go there, and they make new friends there.

We're always planning with other parents, "Hey, I'm going to send my kid to Arts Unleashed this day. Will you send your kid?" And they get to spend one-on-one time with their peers, forming friendships.

It's a place you can genuinely trust because I actually don't leave my children with anybody. I literally drop my kid off at Annika's studio and I know she'll be good the whole day. We just recently started enrolling my son into camps and he has so much fun there too. So it's a great place with great teachers, and Annika's doing a great job.

Neil

When kids are younger as well, with artwork, I think it's just another way of expressing themselves. Maybe they're still developing their languages; they're still understanding their feelings.

Yasmin

They're building their confidence.

Neil

They're building their confidence. I think with the art that it really helps in those aspects.

What does your child say about their experience with Arts Unleashed?

Yasmin

She is always so happy, enthusiastic. The different sensory things that she can touch at Arts Unleashed, like Annika will have sensory tables set up or the different workstations, paint, mixing. She's learned to mix colours.

She just loves the focused projects and the different ways she can use materials like clay or glue. She's recently started using the hot glue gun there. She just has a blast every time, and that's why we keep sending her back.

Neil

I love the way Annika, with whatever projects she has there, uses household items. So then when they come home, a lot of things don't get thrown away because she wants to use them for different art projects, which I think is great for learning how to recycle.

Annika is very good at not only using art supplies but using things that are very accessible around the house so the kid can not only do the artwork at the studio, but when they come home, they can also do it as well.

Any final thoughts on Arts Unleashed?

Neil

We've been going there for over three years now. We end up even having birthday parties there, and we've seen a good different flow of students coming in and out of there.

It's hard to articulate, but the way you see the kids light up going to that studio and the different projects they have is like, we're very lucky to find Annika and to find that business that she runs there. We couldn't have made a better decision.