Overview
Young at Art, which opens March 3 in the State Street Gallery of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, presents works of art by Madison Metropolitan School District students in kindergarten through Grade 12. The exhibition is the result of a long-standing collaboration between the Museum and the school district’s fine arts department. Although the exhibition is usually presented biennially, construction of the Museum’s new facility created a hiatus. As a result, this year’s Young at Art is the first since 2002.
In preparing for the exhibition, each of Madison’s public school art teachers was invited to submit up to three works created by his or her students. This process yields a full range of technique, subject matter, and media, including drawing, painting, collage, photography, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, fiber, and computer-generated art. All works on view in Young at Art demonstrate students’ imagination and talent.
Young at Art underscores the value of early and continuing exposure to high-quality art education. The exhibition calls attention to children’s creative potential, to the scope and variety of individual expression, and to the excellence of art instruction in Madison’s public schools.
Exhibition Support
Young at Art is organized by the education department of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and Madison Metropolitan School District. Funding has been generously provided by a grant from James and Sylvia Vaccaro; the Theda Clark Smith Family Foundation; the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission with additional funds from the Madison Community Foundation, the Overture Foundation, and the American Girl Fund for Children; a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin; and the Art League of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.