Founded in 1913, the School of the Art Association of Newport has from its beginning demonstrated a dedicated commitment to arts education. An essential component of the Newport Art Museum campus is the Minnie and Jimmy Coleman Center for Creative Studies, located in the Gilbert S. Kahn building.

This dynamic center offers a wide array of classes and  workshops for all ages, from summer camps for children to adult courses in a range of mediums. With a focus on process-based learning, campers gain confidence, experiment boldly with materials, and discover connections between their own creations and the art around them through docent-led tours. Our summer camps are thoughtfully designed to spark curiosity and artistic growth, inspired by exhibitions and the Museum’s rich permanent collection. Guided by experienced teaching artists, each camp offers a welcoming, imaginative space where creativity meets exploration. 

Grounded in Newport and focused on the future, the Helena Sturtevant Education Society fund will provide the necessary support and resources to allow art to be accessible to all, creating the opportunity for year round and summer scholarships for both adults and children.

Your support as a Helena Sturtevant Education Society Sponsor will make it possible for the Museum to:

• Make arts enrichment accessible to children- through summer camp scholarships, teaching artists, docent led tours, art exhibitions.
• Make year round arts enrichment accessible to seniors
• Provide essential equipment and supplies at the Museum School
• Fund community arts exhibitions for seniors and students

As an Education Sponsor:

• Your name will be listed at the museum & online as part of this special group of Patrons.
• Your name will appear as part of this society on a special plaque honoring Helena Sturtevant at the Museum School in the front entryway.
• You will be included in special VIP Activities and Education focused events.
• You will automatically receive a Patron Museum membership.

There are 2 Levels of Support:

• $5,000 which entitles you to all of the above.
• $10,000 which entitles you to all of the above plus the ability to host a special event for a group of up to 20 people at the Museum School during one of our arts exhibitions.

For More Information Contact: Susan Hanley, Director of Advancement, Newport Art Museum (631) 599-1950 | shanley@newportartmuseum.org

Download Sponsorship Information: The Helena Sturtevant Education Society

Helena Sturtevant’s career as an artist and educator unfolded with a sense of purpose that connected her personal practice to a broader cultural vision for the Art Association. After studying at t he Boston Museum School and continuing her training in Paris at the Académie Colarossi and the Académie de la Grande Chaumiére, she returned with both technical skill and an expanded artistic perspective. Settling in Middletown with her unmarried sisters, she painted prolifically in a lush impressionist style, even as her role in the local arts community deepened.

From 1913 into the 1940s, Sturtevant served as director of the art school at the Art Association of Newport, where she became a driving force behind its growth. As an artist-founder, she approached the school as an institution and an evolving space for creative access. She developed a curriculum to welcome a range of students – children, aspiring fine artists, curious beginners and even Navy personnel – reflecting her belief that art should be available to all.

At the same time, she was acutely aware of the school’s limitations. Concerned that limited resources might push students to seek instruction elsewhere, she advocated for improvements, from proper draperies and model stands to still life materials that would enrich classroom practice. Sturtevant’s legacy continues to resonate deeply within the Newport artistic community, where her advocacy, mentorship, and unwavering belief in creative expression helped shape generations of emerging artists. Her contributions made a lasting imprint, enriching American art and broadening Newport’s artistic heritage.

Reflecting on her years of teaching, Sturtevant maintained that her time had “never [been] wasted because, ‘Teaching them to draw teaches them to see.’”  In her 1922 annual report, she observed the varied backgrounds of her students: “It is not without interest to observe among the pupils, the different nationalities represented, French, Swedish, Swiss, Greek, Portuguese, Armenian, several of them speaking almost no English.  From diverse ways they come but one whose interest peculiarly needs to be fostered.  From the wharfs of Newport, from a fisherman’s hut at Third Beach, from the farms of Portsmouth and Middletown, from the Army and Navy, from well known families of this place and New York, one common interest brings them here.”