Youth Center policies and Important Information


Behavior Policy

To ensure the uniform handling of discipline problems and corrective disciplinary procedures for certain situations, the following guidelines have been established.

  • Responding defiantly to a counselor or instructor
  • Not listening to directions
  • Name calling / teasing, using foul language / profanity
  • Being disruptive / loud during quiet times
  • Fighting / pushing / kicking (including play fighting or wrestling)
  • Not respecting another’s physical space
  • Unapproved use of other people’s belongings
  • Going to unauthorized areas
  • Throwing objects
  • Stealing
  • Vandalizing equipment or property
  • Bringing items that are restricted
  • Endangering the safety of others

The corrective procedure for each category is as follows:

  1. Verbal Warning & Appropriate Consequence (this will differ depending on the behavior)
  2. Written Warning & Discussion with Parent/Guardian
  3. Expulsion/Removal from the Program

This Behavior Policy is used as a guideline. The ArtsCenter reserves the right to bypass steps when it is appropriate. The safety of all students and staff is our highest priority.

Expulsion Policy: In the case of expulsion or removal from the program, there will be no refund or pro-rating of program fees already paid. A student who has been expelled or removed from the program may request to be allowed back into the program in a subsequent year. This request must be put in writing and approved by the Director of Education before the student will be allowed to return to the program. 

Program Cancellation Policy

Registration can be cancelled up to 14 days prior to program start date. A $25 cancellation charge will be deducted from the total refund.

If you wish to cancel at any point during the semester, please contact the Youth team at youth@artscenterlive.org. We are unable to retroactively give a pro-rated refund or full month refund, so please get in touch at least 2 week prior to the first day of the month. Following cancellation, subsequent months will not be charged.

If your student is absent for 2 weeks or more, the full month’s tuition is due to keep the spot in the program. Individual days that your student does not attend are not eligible for a refund.

Youth Photo & Video Release Form

Please note that the ArtCenter must have a Youth Photo & Video Release permissions for every student on site. Review the release below. Parents will indicate permissions during registration. 

Contact our Youth team at youth@artscenterlive.org with any further questions.

Scholarships

The ArtsCenter is proud to provide scholarships for our Youth Programming.

At this time all Spring 2026 scholarships have been allocated.

For further questions please contact Youth Director Kiera Franklin at kfranklin@artscenterlivel.org.

Hear From Our AfterSchool Stars!

The ArtsCenter isn't just a place, it's an experience. And who better to share the AfterSchool experience than the families who have lived it? See how our AfterSchool program has nurtured creativity, inspired confidence, and built a community of budding artists in Orange County.
"I appreciate how organized everything is and how much communication we receive."
"The cultivation of friendships while doing fun activities is really important It is so hard for her to make friends, so it is so wonderful that she has something to look forward to."
"Our child always comes home so excited to tell us about the exciting different art projects!"
"Our daughter has really enjoyed this program. We were nervous about how young she is, but she seems to be thriving! Thank you!"

Frequently asked questions

We offer a three-day option (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and a five-day option (Monday through Friday).

Three-Day Option: $1,382 in installments ($197 now / 3 monthly installments of $395) 

Five-Day Option: $1,995 in installments ($285 now, 3 monthly installments of $570)

Our daily schedule is as follows:


2:45-3:20 PM – Student Drop-off (please pack a snack or provide $1 to buy a snack)
3:20-4:05 PM – Art Class Session I
4:05-4:35 PM – Break/Transition
4:35-5:30 PM – Art Class Session II
5:30-6:00 PM – Student Pick-up

We've designed this schedule to maximize your child's engagement with the arts while also providing necessary breaks for relaxation and snack times. Tuesdays and Thursdays provide more free time for indivual exploration through staff-led use of our Makerspaces. Kids learn to be creative with craft projects and STEAM activites.

Every afternoon, our dedicated AAI Leaders greet the young artists at the north entrance of new building, ensuring their safe journey from school to an afternoon filled with creativity. Our staff will always ask the bus driver if a student on our list does not arrive at The ArtsCenter.
If your child will be absent, please text our parent information line at (919)-748-9194 any time before 1pm on that day. This is also the best number to reach the Youth Team during AfterSchool hours. If we are expecting your child on a scheduled day but they do not arrive, we will email, text, or call you to check that they are safe with you. 
According to our AfterSchool Immersion cancellation policy, you can cancel your registration up to 28 days before the program starts. This gives us enough time to offer the spot to another student. You can do this by yourself through our mobile app or your account dashboard. If you cancel, we'll charge you a $25 admin fee for the cancellation and then refund the rest.  

If you want to leave the program or change your student's schedule after the program has started, you'll need to let us know. Please send an email at least 4 weeks in advance of any planned changes to Elizabeth Ekstrand at eekstrand@artscenterlive.org. We bill tuition every month, and we can't adjust the bill if you're only there for part of the month. We also can't keep spots open if your student needs to be absent for some time during the year. If your student is going to be absent for 2 weeks or more, you'll still need to pay the full month's tuition to keep their spot in the program. 
Family Sharing Night is a monthly event where students get the chance to showcase what they've learned in their classes. It's a wonderful opportunity for parents and families to engage with our community, meet our staff, and celebrate their children's achievements. The event typically takes place on the last friday of each month, but the specific date and time can vary, so please check our calendar for the most accurate information.
CHCCS provides transportation from public schools in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. During registration, please let us know if your child requires this service. After receiving your request, we'll submit a roster to the CHCCS transportation office. They will assign a bus number for each school that will travel to TAC. We will then notify parents of these assigned bus numbers, and it's the parents' responsibility to inform their child's teacher about the assigned bus number for their child to take at the end of the school day.
To the ArtsCenter patrons and guests wishing to give to support our Youth Education programs – please check out our Amazon Wish List! Please bring any and all of these materials during our business hours. We are happy to provide the appropriate tax documents and appreciate your support of The ArtsCenter!
Amazon Wishlist