Creative Kids To Shine At ArtWalk

This Citizen Contribution was submitted by Lillian Price, a high school sophomore and founder of KidMade.

ArtWalk, the multi-day community arts festival held in Westville, is set to return May 5 – 10. Attendees can keep an eye out for KidMade, a booth run by ​“kidpreneurs,” that will be making its seventh annual return.

In 2017, when I was 8 years old, I wondered why kids weren’t displaying and selling their products in the market the way the adults were. That question was the seed for the founding of KidMade in 2018: A vendor booth for kids and teens at ArtWalk that supports the next generation of local artists and makers. 

I’m now a high school sophomore and am excited for KidMade’s 7th year at ArtWalk! KidMade gives younger community members a chance to take part in the Art & Artisan Market at the much-loved Westville festival. We have a lot of community support. The Westville Village Renaissance Alliance (WVRA) waives the vendor fee for our booth, and our customers ​“support the next generation of artists,” as we state in our slogan. So KidMade is a great example of community building.

KidMade gives one-hour slots to four kidpreneurs at a time. Participants are expected to be independent, make their items, display them attractively, provide signage, and interact with customers. With this system, KidMade has been able to give the opportunity of entrepreneurship to over 100 kid and teen vendors. My mom and I are always on hand to help.

KidMade artists range from elementary to high school age. Over the years, kidpreneurs have sold cards, canvases, caricatures, stickers, decorated clothing, beaded keychains, jewelry, hand-painted press-on nails, sculptures, 3D art, Perler bead dishware, T‑shirts, decorated sneakers, body lotion, perfume, soaps, firestarters, magnets, and just about anything a creative kid can dream up. 

I sold goat milk soap before taking on the organization of the other kids. My siblings first started at the market at age six and over the years have sold jewelry, stickers, body products, and paper flowers. KidMade is often a family affair, with siblings returning to sell new items year after year as their hobbies and interests change.

Westville parent Jessica Smolinski’s children are regular KidMade vendors, and in an interview she emphasized her enthusiasm for their experiences. ​“Leo and Olive made jewelry to sell, necklaces and bracelets, and Olive also made painted mirrors. I know they were both inspired by all of the talented vendors they’d seen at previous ArtWalks! 

“I believe Leo’s first ArtWalk was in 2018, and Olive’s was in 2022. Both kids were 9 when they began their entrepreneurial journeys. I loved seeing my kids’ creativity and confidence grow with the opportunity to sell the designs they spent so much time making. I’m so grateful that Lillian and her mom have organized the KidMade table for so many years! My kids will always feel a special connection to our village and New Haven because of the time they spent as vendors at the KidMade table.”

I interviewed Westville parent Leeora Netter, whose three kids are also kidpreneurs, and she expressed similar feelings. ​“This is a wonderful community event where kids can get involved in a personal and creative way. They can express themselves artistically and also test out their entrepreneurial skills. My kids have participated in KidMade for several years now and have really enjoyed being part of this incredible neighborhood festival.”

KidMade supports kindergarten to teen artists, and often they come back year after year. When Sammy Braren, 15, was asked about her KidMade experience, she said, ​“I have been part of KidMade for four years. For the first two years, I sold beaded bracelets. More recently, I sold diamond art bookmarks, keychains, and suncatchers. I think KidMade is great because it’s a fun way for kids to share their art with the world. It also benefits kids by teaching them about trade and managing money from a young age.”

KidMade has grown by word of mouth and recruiting vendors from schools and art classes. Some KidMade participants have gone on to have their own ArtWalk booths. My elementary school, Elm City Montessori School, has started its own ​“Montessori Maker” booth, inspired by KidMade. Their table uses the same rotating vendor format, allowing their students to have the same opportunity to sell what they have made. My hope is that KidMade has inspired kids to be confident in entrepreneurial skills and that the growth of the community’s next generation of artists contributes to the vibrant Westville arts community.

If you are a kid interested in being a KidMade vendor next year, come visit the KidMade booth at this year’s ArtWalk on Saturday, May 10, or email [email protected].