Young Artists Showcase Their Talent

Most of us know that creating art expands a child’s ability to interact with the world around them, and provides a new set of skills for self-expression and communication. From February through April, children in Kindergarten through 12th Grade from several area schools will showcase their artwork at the Ankeny Art Center. The students take great pride in having their work shown publicly and visitors enjoy the beautiful artwork on display.

“This gives children the opportunity to exhibit their artwork to the general public in a real art gallery.” said Barb Vaske, Director of the Ankeny Art Center. “Numerous studies show that art helps children develop motor skills, language development, decision making, visual learning, inventiveness, cultural awareness, and improved academic learning.”

The Ankeny Art Center’s annual K-12 art exhibits have been part of an extended outreach programming for more than two decades. “This year we would like to welcome the Saydel School District to this annual event.” said Christina Catron, Assistant Director. “We welcome and honor the hard work of these teachers and the young artists in our 2015 exhibits.”

Those who have studied learning processes, beginning with Plato, have emphasized the importance of the arts in the education process. 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.

Following an opening reception for the young artists and guests, the art is displayed for several weeks. “More than ever, employers 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 and may be more important than ever to the development of the next generation of children as they grow up.”

Help celebrate the creativity of the youth in the greater Ankeny area! All receptions and exhibits at the Ankeny Art Center are always free and open to the public.

- Bondurant-Farrar School Exhibit: Feb 3 - Feb 18 (reception on Feb , 5-7pm)
- Saydel School Exhibit: Feb 24 - Mar 11 (reception on Mar 5, 5-7pm)
- North Polk School Exhibit: Mar 17 - Apr 1 (reception on Mar 26, 5-7pm)
- Ankeny Schools Exhibit: April 7 - April 29 (receptions on Apr 9 and 23, 5-7pm)


The Ankeny Art Center is located in a City Park at 1520 SW Ordnance Road, Ankeny across from the John Deere plant. Gallery hours are Tue-Fri 9a-1p, Thu 4-7pm and Sat 9am-noon. The Ankeny Art Center can be reached by phone: 515-965-0940, email: ankenyarts@ankenyartcenter.com or website: www.AnkenyArtCenter.com