Best art schools for kids in Queensland?

Ok real talk first — I'm a little biased. I run Creativity Hood, an art school for kids and teens in Garbutt, Townsville. So of course I think we're pretty great 💜

BUT I'm also an art teacher first. I spent years teaching high school art, and I get asked all the time by families who are moving down south, or have cousins in Brisbane, or just want to know what good kids art education looks like — who else is doing it well?

So here's my honest list of the best art schools for kids in Queensland. Creativity Hood first (obviously 😄), then some brilliant art schools across South East Queensland that I'd happily send a kid to.

What actually makes a good kids art school?

Before the list — here's what I look for. Not fancy fit-outs. Not Instagram-perfect finished pieces. This stuff:

• Real materials, real skills. Kids can tell when they're being given the cheap stuff and a colouring sheet. Proper paint, clay, charcoal, printmaking = proper learning.

• Room to be themselves. The best classes teach technique AND let kids make their own choices. Ten identical jellyfish on the wall? Meh. Ten totally different jellyfish that all used the same technique? Now we're talking.

• Mistakes are welcome. If a kid is scared of getting it "wrong" they stop trying. Good teachers make it safe to mess up.

• Small groups. More eyes on each kid, more help when they need it.

• Consistency. Same teacher, same friends, week after week. That's where confidence actually grows.

• Inclusive and neurodivergent-friendly. Every kid deserves a spot at the table.

Ok. The list 👇

1. Creativity Hood — Townsville 🎨💜

This is my place, so let me tell you what we're about.

Creativity Hood started in my backyard and has grown into our studio on Bayswater Road in Garbutt. We blend pop culture with fine art — so one week it might be realistic portrait painting on canvas, the next it's sculpting Face Clay Cups or drawing 3D Halloween ghosts. Kids learn real technique (dry brushing, charcoal, watercolour, clay) while making stuff they actually care about.

Our classes are grouped by age and stage:

• Pastel Puddles (ages 4–5) — gentle, sensory art play for tiny creators

• Rainbow Rebels (ages 5–8) — experimental and play-based. Colour mixing, texture, big creative mess. Short, varied projects to keep the energy up

• Brush Buddies (ages 9–11) — deeper projects that run 2–4 weeks, so kids build technique step by step and actually see themselves improve

• Vibe Creators (ages 12–16) — long-form, self-paced projects over 6–8 weeks. Teens get heaps of say in what they make, and honestly the studio becomes their space — a crew of likeminded people where they can just be themselves

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We also run drawing tutoring, NDIS arts programs, school holiday art camps, birthday parties, and adult classes too.

What makes us different:

• We're subscription-based, not term-by-term. Your kid joins and stays in — no scrambling to re-book every term. More time making = more skills = more magic happening. Not just a single session and done.

• The Kindness Policy. No judging or criticising anyone else's work. Ever. Mistakes are happy little Bob Ross accidents 🌟

• Neurodivergent-affirming. Clear step-by-step instructions, visual aids, flexible ways of working and heaps of patience. Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety — you're welcome here.

• Proudly LGBTQIA+ friendly. Everyone gets to be exactly who they are.

• Kids exhibit and sell their art. We've got a little shop in the studio where students can sell their creations. Seeing a kid's face when someone buys their piece? Best thing ever.

• Two studio cats. Teddy and Smockles are basically staff at this point 🐈

Not in Townsville? We're branching out into take-home art packs, so a little bit of Creativity Hood can come to you wherever you are in Queensland.

👉 Come try a class or check out our holiday camps at creativityhood.com

Brisbane art schools for kids

2. Queensland Art School — Indooroopilly & Upper Mount Gravatt

A big one with two campuses and classes from little ones (around 3.5) right up to teens and adults. What's cool is you can pick by style — anime, realistic drawing, digital art on iPad, storytelling and art — not just by age. They run after-school, weekend and holiday camps, plus NDIS-friendly small groups with some sessions capped at just four students.

3. Flying Fox Studios — Everton Park

Classes from as young as 2 right through to adults, running in 8-week terms. Groups are small (around 8 for under-school-age, 10–12 for school kids). I also love that they're really protective of kids' privacy — no identifiable photos of students online without permission 👏

4. Little Art Lab — Brisbane Southside

These guys are right up my alley. No copying photos or existing artwork — every project leaves room for the kid's own ideas and style. They mix in experimental STEM art, understand the developmental stages of kids' drawing, and cap classes at six. After-school, weekend and homeschool options too.

5. The Make Mistakes School of Art — Brisbane (Moorooka)

Honestly, the name says it all and I LOVE it. Kindy and primary classes where kids are encouraged to make mistakes in a safe, supportive space so they can explore their own ideas. Be kind, be curious, be you — yes please.

6. U Create Art — The Gap

Term classes, a holiday art club and arty birthday parties from their studio in leafy The Gap. They've also got a mobile art truck that brings the studio to you, which is a very fun idea.

Gold Coast art schools for kids

7. The Gold Coast Art School — Southport

The veterans — they've been teaching since 1995. After-school classes for kids and teens run Monday to Friday during Queensland school terms. A great pick for kids who want solid drawing and painting fundamentals.

8. The Chroma Kids (at The Chroma Club) — Gold Coast

After-school classes and holiday workshops for kids and teens, with a big focus on de-stressing, building art confidence and technique. Love seeing art pitched as a wellbeing tool — because it absolutely is.

Sunshine Coast art schools for kids

9. Sunshine Art School — Montville

An eco-friendly art school up in the hinterland, with weekly classes for kids, teens and adults. They run studio-style classes, which means students choose the medium and subject that inspires them each week instead of following a script. Big fan of that.

10. Red Door Art Studio — Ninderry

Run by artist and teacher Katrina Woodland, who has around 30 years of experience teaching primary and secondary art. Kids 7+ get a seriously wide range — painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, collage and ceramics — with themed projects running 2–3 weeks.

11. A Little Creative — Sunshine Coast

Inclusive, hands-on art for kids, teens and adults. After-school classes, clay, homeschool sessions, kindy art, holiday programs and art packs — so lots of ways in.

So… which of these art schools for kids in Queensland is best?

Honestly? The best art school is the one where your kid walks out covered in paint, buzzing, and asking when they can come back.

A few tips:

• Book a trial class. Most places offer one. Watch your kid's face at pick-up — that tells you everything.

• Ask how they handle mistakes. If the answer is "we fix it for them" — keep looking.

• Ask about group sizes and who the teacher is. Consistency matters heaps.

• Look at student work. If it all looks identical, the kids are copying. If it's all different, the kids are creating.

• Ask about support. If your kid is neurodivergent or anxious, a good school will be happy to talk it through with you.

And if you're anywhere near Townsville — you know where to find us 😉 Come say hi to Teddy and Smockles, get your hands messy, and see what your kid makes 🎨💜

Class details for other schools were checked at the time of writing — always double-check their websites for current times and prices.