SUBMITTED PHOTO RANDY FEERE -- Visitors explore this year's School Art exhibition at the Esplanade.
Have you been down to see this year’s School Art exhibition yet? School art has a long history in our city, and it is a massive point of pride for the Esplanade. Not only is it a source of joy in seeing the uninhibited creativity of our youth, but it’s also a great way of bringing communities together in a celebration of teachers and students of the arts. This year there are 48 schools participating from all over Medicine Hat and surrounding areas.
Honestly, this journey wouldn’t be nearly as successful without the collaboration from our partners in the community. First are the all the teachers, who are the real unsung heroes in school art. They are the instructors and facilitators who nurture the children’s creativity and then compile artwork throughout the year for us. The second is our crew of volunteers; from those who help install and guide tours of the exhibit and those who go out to schools to choose artworks which will be displayed in the gallery. The third is the administrators who assist us by liaising and keeping the teachers informed about the process from start to finish. So, to all the people behind the scenes, thank you so much for all the time you have put in.
So why does it matter? Why should we care about all the effort behind the School Art exhibition? And what does it mean to our community? Research shows that students whose brains are stimulated by art education often thrive. The challenge for students to use various materials to create something from essentially nothing develops important skills, which as adults they use for the rest of their lives. It improves a range of different skills such as following direction, critical thinking, improvisation, math (fractions, measurement, multiplication) all while being given the freedom to explore their own mind and express their feelings. Being creative can be very therapeutic and create a meditative opportunity to be immersed in limitless possibilities, where there is never a wrong answer.
Some people are natural born athletes, some are great writers, and some are great artists. The Esplanade’s School Art exhibition provides students the opportunity to display their skills, hard work and creativity in a professional gallery. Some of these students will grow up to be artisans, and for those who don’t, they have all gained experience using their imagination and inventiveness that will inspire their journey wherever it takes them. That is why we’ve been happy to support our young artists by helping them celebrate the works they’ve created with this exhibition for the past 44 years.
Come see the 2022 School Art exhibition, on display now until August 20. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 12-5 p.m. and our admission is always Pay What You Will.
Dan Meller is a Facility Worker at the Esplanade
