Young Artists in the Spotlight

Beginning February 3, area students will have the opportunity to showcase their visual artwork to the general public. From February to April, children in Kindergarten through grade twelve from several area schools will display their artwork of various mediums the Ankeny Art Center. “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 Center’s annual K-12 art exhibits have been part of an extended outreach programming since the early 1980’s. “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.” People in the art community and many educators understand that children involved in artistic programs make better students.


Following an opening reception for the young artists and guests, the art is displayed for several weeks. “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.


- 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 date TBD)
- 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