The Cochrane Integrated Arts Society (CIAS) has launched a new website and is rolling out its first online courses.

Registrations are now being accepted for a selection of youth and adult courses in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, and narrative writing.

Details in the courses are available on the CIAS website. You're invited to browse through the courses, read about their engaging, professional instructors, and find something that sparks your interest. Because class sizes are limited, early registration is recommended.

The first courses will begin the first week of May. They will run weekly for 4 to 8 weeks. Youth courses will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. and adult courses from 7 to 8 p.m.

CIAS president Jane Kaczmer says the pilot program will be expanded in the future to include more in-depth courses, and include a wider diversity of offerings.

Participants will have access to the lessons for a limited period of time. That's ideal for those unable to attend the first night they are offered or who wish to take another look.

"The participants of the course will be able to access the course for 30 days after the course is done. So it's not openly available to everyone, we will simply make it available to them."

To help remove financial barriers, CIAS has partnered with Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) to make the courses accessible through the Access Card program.

CIAS didn't hesitate to become part of the program when invited by FCSS.

"Spray Lake has been doing this, and they've had very good uptake. They've been very pleased with it.  We're really pleased because it lets people who otherwise might not have thought they could afford it take part in classes, and it's completely confidential."

Kaczmer says they are thrilled to have Jola Muran, former Town of Cochrane Arts and Culture programmer, as one of the instructors and as the program development guide.

To discover what's available, visit the CIAS website here.