This Valentine’s Day weekend, folks in the Lincoln Park neighborhood were diving into arts and crafts. The Duluth Art Institute offers a free day of art, four times a year for people of all ages and abilities.

Jesse Switters, an Education Coordinator with DAI, says art can bring the community closer together.

“The biggest surprise I’ve seen in my time in the last two years is that a lot of community members who are new to the Duluth area come here to free art day. It’s not just kids, it’s not just for kids,” Switters said. “It’s adults who are new to the area and just want to find out what Duluth is about.”

The Duluth Arti Institute is always looking for more volunteers to help lead different arts and crafts classes. Creative activities like painting, drawing, or sculpting can help alleviate stress and anxiety in both kids and adults.

“The more and more we learn about mental health, the more we realize that art is an integral part of treatment. It’s being implemented on a variety of ways to help people’s quality of life improve,” Switters said. “The people that show up here, they leave with not only art, they leave with quality time spent with their family. Making connections with the community. “

The Duluth art institute offers lots of events, like Art Night Out, which is next Thursday, at their downtown gallery. Also for more information about other events happening with the Duluth Art Institute you can read more here.