FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Springfield, MO. (March 3, 2020) – The Springfield Art Museum is pleased to present the 88th Annual All School Exhibition, opening this Friday, March 6 at 5:30 PM with a reception for middle/high school students. The opening reception for elementary students will be held on Sunday, March 8 at 2 PM.
Every March, in celebration of Youth Art Month, the Museum invites student artists from across our community, in Kindergarten through twelfth grade, to exhibit outstanding artwork in the All School Exhibition. This highly anticipated show has been a staple of our exhibition schedule since 1932, making it our longest running exhibition initiative, outdating even Watercolor USA.
Divided into three sections containing elementary, middle school, and high school, the exhibit brought over 14,800 patrons to the Museum in 2019 to 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, 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.
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 Springfield Public Schools installs the art in the galleries.
Enjoy this year’s exhibit March 7 – April 26 at the Springfield Art Museum, located at 1111 East Brookside Drive. Following the All School Exhibition, MFA candidates from Missouri State University take over the Weisel and Kelly Galleries to present their MFA Student Showcase (May 1 – 24). These two shows present a unique snapshot of the continuum of work being produced in educational settings throughout Springfield – from Kindergarten through higher education. 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, Development and Marketing Coordinator, (417) 874-2859 or jbest@springfieldmo.gov.