Celebrate World Art Day 2022 with These 10 Crafting Ideas

by Altenew LLC - 6 minute read

Last Updated: April 10, 2022

World Art Day 2022 is just around the corner! This is a special day to celebrate all things art. If you're a crafter, this is the perfect opportunity to get creative and try some new art techniques or refresh old ones. There are endless possibilities for fun and easy crafting projects, from layered stamping and die-cutting to watercoloring and 3D embossing. So whether you're into card making, scrapbooking, journaling, or simply doodling on paper, we've got some ideas to inspire you on World Art Day. Plus, we’re answering all your burning questions about this exciting holiday!

DIY fabric coasters featuring loosely painted florals

DIY Floral Coasters - Easy Project for World Art Day 2022

What Is World Art Day?

World Art Day is an annual event celebrated by artists and art lovers everywhere. This day celebrates everything art-related and encourages people to share their creativity.

Art encompasses a wide range of activities - from graphic design and fashion design to papercraft and animation. Some people make a living through their art, while others merely enjoy it as a hobby. It doesn’t matter what kind of art you’re into; what matters is you’re enjoying the creative process. Of course, one person’s art might not be your cup of tea, but on World Art Day, let’s celebrate the many different art forms worldwide and remember that art is a form of self-expression.

Fun Fact! According to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), there are over 2 million professional artists in the United States. Many of these artists are fashion designers, floral designers, and graphic artists. A smaller percentage of artists make their living as writers, animators, and architects. It’s unknown how many artists there are throughout the world.

When Is World Art Day 2022?

World Art Day is on April 15, 2022. According to UNESCO, this day is “a celebration to promote the development, diffusion, and enjoyment of art.” There are a ton of World Art Day activities that you can easily do from the comfort of your own home. The good news is, we’re sharing some quick and easy arts and crafts ideas here, so keep on reading!

Handmade cards shaped like houses and ink blended with different dye inks

DIY handmade cards created with Home Sweet Home Stamp and Die Bundle

Where was World Art Day founded?

World Art Day was founded by the International Association of Art (IAA/AIAP) in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). While there is no specific place or city where it was first celebrated, Los Angeles City promotes the event every year through various festivities.

Art doesn’t just foster creativity and innovation; it also encourages cultural diversity. According to UNESCO, art plays an essential role in sharing knowledge and encouraging curiosity and dialogue. These qualities will remain if “we continue to support environments where artists and artistic freedom are promoted and protected.”

"Bringing people together, inspiring, soothing, and sharing: these are the powers of art, the importance of which has been made emphatically obvious during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. With hundreds of thousands of people directly affected by the virus and billions more either in lockdown or battling the pandemic on the front lines, this World Art Day is a timely reminder that art has the power to unite and connect in times of crisis." — Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO

When was the first World Art Day?

The first-ever World Art Day was celebrated back in 2012. IAA/AIAP and UNESCO chose the 15th of April since it is the birthday of the most famous artist in history - Leonardo da Vinci! Honoring da Vinci through this day is also a way of celebrating what he stands for - a symbol of peace, freedom of expression, tolerance, and brotherhood.

“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” - Aristotle

Clean and simple handmade greeting card with a die-cut image of a marker-colored fox holding balloons

CAS card with Hug Me Stamp and Die Bundle

Why Is World Art Day Celebrated?

The availability of a wide variety of World Art Day activities around the globe is a testament to the fact that art is a universal form of expression. By celebrating this day, we don’t just celebrate artists and their work; we also strengthen the bond between art and society by highlighting how artists contribute to diversity and sustainability.

On World Art Day 2022, UNESCO urges people - artists and non-artists alike - to participate in various activities that stimulate their artistic freedom and creativity, such as debates, conferences, workshops, cultural events, and presentations or exhibitions.

“If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” - Vincent Van Gogh

How to Celebrate World Art Day

Art enthusiasts around the world celebrate World Art Day by honoring all forms of art, from painting and sculpting to photography and paper crafting. If you're a paper crafter, scrapbooker, or card maker, this is your chance to get creative and learn more about the art world. Here are some ideas on how to celebrate World Art Day 2022 with your crafty projects.

World Art Day Activities for Paper Crafters

12x12 scrapbook layout with black and white dotted washi tape background

Quick scrapbook layout made with washi tapes and patterned paper pack

1. Create a 12x12 scrapbook layout using wide washi tapes and other ephemera. Washi tapes are super fun and easy to use; you can even do this with the little ones. Here’s a scrapbook layout idea by Reiko.

Memory-keeping journal page with mix-and-match scrapbook patterned papers

Floral memory-keeping scrapbook journal

2. Memory-keeping layouts and journals are all the rage, and this beginner-friendly idea by Nathalie will help you get started!

Birthday card with 4 cupcake die-cuts and the word "happy"

Mini Delight Cupcake Stamp and Die Bundle

3. Card making is such a fun and rewarding activity that anyone - even your kids - can do! This birthday card idea by Laurie is so adorable and yummy; you’ll indeed have so much fun creating it.

Alcohol marker coloring sheets and a box of alcohol-based markers

Whimsical Flower Bunch Coloring Sheets with Altenew Alcohol Markers

4. Don’t have time to do stamping, die-cutting, and other World Art Day activities? We’ve got something super easy for you! Color your stress away with a page from our Coloring Book and some alcohol markers! Here are some marker coloring tips from Reiko.

Colorful art journal with cool and trendy shapes and images stamped in different pigment ink colors

Cool Decades Stamp Set

5. If you’re into art journaling but want something quick and easy, we recommend trying Tania's cool and colorful retro art journal idea!

DIY gift wrapping decorated with colorful dots from bubble wrap stencil

DIY gift wrapping with Bubble Wrap Stencil

6. Hit two birds with one stone by doing something artsy and crafty at the same time! Our Altenew Educator Karen shows a super easy way to personalize your gift wrapping in this DIY project!

DIY home decor with 3D realistic roses made from creative die-cuts

Mini Rolled Rose Die Set

7. Creative dies are handy to have, especially when you’re in need of quick crafting projects. Maryam’s DIY home decor will show you how to have fun with your dies on World Art Day 2022!

DIY chalkboard art decorated with white heat-embossed eucalyptus in a jar and motivational words

DIY Chalkboard Art with Eucalyptus Jar Stamp Set

8. For those exploring something more intermediate, try creating chalkboard art! Chalkboard Art is a text-heavy art, emphasizing hand-drawn designs & lettering using chalk. Altenew Educator Anna repurposed an old clipboard made from thick chipboard for her art project. Check out her project here!

DIY fabric crafts featuring fat quarter fabric with floral and nature motifs

DIY Fabric Crafts with Altenew Dreamy Bouquet Fabric Collection

9. Are you into sewing? We’ve got a little something for you too! Fabric crafts don’t always require sewing, so you don’t need to worry about not knowing how to sew. We’ve recently released fat quarter fabric that is gorgeous and versatile enough for a wide range of art and craft projects such as a no-sew throw pillow, coin purse, eco bag, and a DIY journal notebook cover like Nathalie’s!

A page out of Altenew Watercolor Coloring Book featuring a floral image painted using Altenew Watercolor 36 Pan Set

Watercolor Coloring Book & Watercolor 12 Pan Set Bundle

10. Take a page out of our Watercolor Coloring Book, get your favorite watercolor sets out, and start coloring away! Sometimes, something as simple as coloring an image can do wonders for your creativity and mental and emotional health. Let Erum inspire you with her fantastic coloring skills!

World Art Day 2022 DIY gift wrap ideas using stencils

Celebrate World Art Day 2022 with friends and family!

There you have it! These World Art Day activities are only a few exciting ideas that you can easily try by yourself, with a partner, friends, or the whole family! Of course, you don’t need to limit yourself to these projects. Explore other ways to unleash the inner artist in you, such as creative writing, singing, dancing, sketching or drawing, taking photographs, watching art-themed movies, or even visiting an art museum. Don’t forget to share your artistic and crafty creations on social media with #WorldArtDay; we’d love to see them! Happy World Art Day!

Get more paper crafting inspiration, ideas, and tips on our All About Crafting page and start creating!

Celebrate World Art Day 2022 with These 10 Crafting Ideas