On Wednesday, Aug. 11, from 6-8 p.m. at the Mattress Factory, you can go see the final exhibition for this year’s Community Art Lab projects–for free, of course!

The Community Art Lab is one of the MF’s most popular community programs for Northsiders, said spokesperson Lindsay O’Leary.  Anyone in the community can sign up for the classes, which last between one and six weeks.  Most of the classes are geared toward kids and teens, but adults can get involved as well.

Program highlights this year include Heather Mallak’s “edible art class” and the Zany Umbrella Circus-led class about performing arts.

“There was a lot of drumming going on, it was very noisy,” O’Leary said about the performing arts class.  Students also learned about clowning and other performance arts.

Mallak’s class focused on turning food into art, by photographing it and by using live plants in sculpture.  You can read more about the class and see some photos at Mallak’s blog, Digital Salad.

High school student Alex Zukoff’s band The Violet Imperative will kick off the evening with a performance, and the performing arts class students will follow it up with a circus demonstration.  Light refreshments are provided.

O’Leary said she expects about 75 people to come.