ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — An exciting year has been planned for the After School Arts Program at the Orange Beach Arts Center. The purpose of ASAP is to merge fun arts learning with affordable after-school care. Children can come once a week or everyday.

ASAP begins Aug. 16, and runs throughout the school year. The program includes first- through sixth-grade students, and will take place each school day, from 3-6 p.m., at OBAC.

Transportation from Gulf Shores Elementary and Orange Beach Elementary schools is available.

Each day of the week ASAP offers a different art class, ranging from visual arts to music to drama.

The school year is divided into six-week terms. While most courses continue through the school year, two- and three-dimensional art and music varies with each term.

For instance the first term 3-D begins with mosaics and continues with fiber art, glass, paper-making and pottery through the year.

Music will begin with “Percussions: Drums and Sticks,” and continue with instruments and choral through the year.

Yvette Jones returns as ASAP’s two-dimensional art instructor. Her students will travel through the history of art from ancient civilizations to modern art with instruction in painting, drawing and sculpture. The music and literature of the era will be incorporated to the lessons.

Grace Collins, a recent graduate of Troy State University’s Theater Education program will be working with the Friday drama class in what will surely be two fabulously fun productions.

This year the drama class will have two projects: “The Jungle Book” musical will be performed at the 2011 Festival of Art and “Mystery Dinner Theater” will be performed at the year's end.

A new and unusual class this year is Monday's public art and creative writing. This class will begin on a small scale focusing on creating art our of every day objects through decorative applications and evolve into a group collaborative public art pieces such as Bob, the Art Car.

Students will be encouraged to write about each project in poetry, prose and comedy.

The goal of ASAP is for students and teachers to enjoy the creative learning experience surrounded by the beautiful, historic setting of the Orange Beach Arts Center’s campus.

You may enroll your child in ASAP for one or more days per week. The cost is $10 per day or $40 a week for full-time students.

For more information, call OBAC at (251) 981-2787.