Celebrating Local Student Artists

Starting Tuesday, February 2, area students will have the opportunity to showcase their visual artwork to the general public at the Ankeny Art Center. The exhibits for children in kindergarten through grade twelve, from several of the northern metro area schools, run from February through April. Student artwork of various medium will be displayed. “This gives children the opportunity to exhibit their work in a real art gallery,” said Barb Vaske, Director of the Ankeny Art Center. “Art makes a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has been proven to help level the learning field across socio-economic boundaries.

Familiarizing students with an art gallery helps to enhance the individual self-worth of the students, increase their community involvement as well as promote culture and diversity. The Ankeny art community continues to encourage area youth in the visual arts and the Ankeny Art Center’s annual K-12 art exhibits have been part of an extended outreach programming for more than two decades.

“Employers are also known to look for potential employees who can think outside the box, be creative and solve problems.” Vaske said. “The arts play an important role in preparing children for their future. The students take great pride in having their work shown publicly and visitors enjoy the beautiful artwork on display.”

Help celebrate the creativity of the youth in the greater Ankeny area. All receptions are free and open to the public. Following the opening reception for the young artists and their guests, the art is displayed to the public for several weeks.

K-12 EXHIBITION SCHEDULE

Bondurant-Farrar Schools:
Exhibit Date: February 2 – February 17
Reception Date: Thursday, February 4, 5 -7 pm

Saydel Schools:
Exhibit Date: February 23 – March 19
Reception Date: Thursday, February 25, 5 -7 pm

North Polk Schools:
Exhibit Date: March 15 – March 30
Reception Date: Thursday, March 24, 5 -7 pm

Ankeny Schools:
Exhibit Date: April 5 – April 27
South Reception: Thurs, April 7, 5-7pm
North Reception: Thurs, April 21, 5-7pm

The Ankeny Art Center is located in a City park at SW Third and State Front Road. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon. The Center is closed Sunday and Monday. For more information about the Ankeny Art Center, please visit www.ankenyartcenter.com or visit our Facebook page. Barb Vaske may be contacted at 515-965-0940 or barb@ankenyartcenter.com