FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Springfield, MO. (February 27, 2023) – The Springfield Art Museum is pleased to present the 91st annual All School Exhibition, opening this Friday, March 3 at 5:30 PM with a student showcase for middle/high school students. The student showcases for elementary students grades K – 2 will be held on Saturday, March 4 at 10:00 AM and grades 3 – 5 will be at 2:00 PM.
Every March, in celebration of Youth Art Month, the Museum invites student artists from across our community, in Kindergarten through 12th grade, to exhibit outstanding artwork in the All School Exhibition. This beloved exhibit has been a staple of our exhibition schedule since 1932.
Divided into three sections containing elementary, middle school, and high school, the exhibit typically brings in well over 14,000 patrons who view more than 400 works of local art from students in Springfield’s public, private, and parochial schools, as well as by local homeschool cooperatives. As the art teachers who work with these students know, art is a powerful educational tool. In addition to creativity and self-expression, the arts teach problem-solving, critical thinking, innovation, imagination, and collaboration.
Artwork created by children and teenagers is often relegated to education wings or hallways when it is displayed in museums. By showcasing students' work in one of our primary gallery spaces – the Weisel Gallery, named after Museum Founder and Art Educator Deborah Weisel - the Museum seeks to highlight the importance of arts education and honor the accomplishments of young artists. Greyson Forrester, a 6th grader at Hickory Hills says, “Art is fun and calming to me. When I get an idea, I love seeing it come to life on paper. Being in Art Class is one of my favorite parts of my day!”
The All School Exhibition also reflects the work of the incredibly talented teachers in our community, many of whom are practicing artists themselves. Faculty members from participating schools and home school cooperatives select artwork for exhibition, and a dedicated team of teachers and students from participating schools install the art in the galleries with assistance from the Museum’s curatorial and education staff.
Following the All School Exhibition, Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visual Studies candidates from Missouri State University take over the Weisel and Kelly Galleries to present their MFA Student Showcase (May 6 – 28). This year's exhibition features six thesis bodies of work by Dana Bridges, Rick Briggenhorst, Meidi Karampour, Teddy Osei, Shauna LeAnn Smith, and Jean Paul Vivas. These two shows present a unique snapshot of the continuum of work being produced in educational settings throughout Springfield – from Kindergarten through higher education.
Enjoy this year’s All School Exhibition March 4 – April 23. The 2023 Exhibition Season is presented by Friends of the Springfield Art Museum, Inc. Support for the All School Exhibition is generously provided by the George Deatz Family. The Springfield Art Museum is located at 1111 East Brookside Drive. Admission is always free. Donations are gratefully accepted.
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The Springfield Art Museum is Springfield, Missouri’s oldest cultural institution, founded in 1928. A department of the City of Springfield, the Museum invites you to connect with the world, your community, and yourself through active engagement with art objects. For more information, please visit www.sgfmuseum.org or contact Joshua Best, Museum Affairs Officer at (417) 874-2859 or jbest@springfieldmo.gov.
