Vermont’s Youth Art Month Celebrations are taking to the road in 2024 and bringing student art to all corners of our state in Vermont Welcome Center displays. This “ artistic journey” begins in art classrooms and students’ imaginations and ends with public exhibits from Georgia to Guilford in places that are familiar and accessible to all Vermonters.
This series of exhibits is a collaboration between the Vermont Art Educators Association and Vermont’s Information Centers Division of the Vermont Dept. of Buildings and General Services (BGS) to support art education in our schools and the artistic endeavors of our students.
“BGS is proud to support our young artists with this program,” said Jennifer Fitch, BGD commissioner. “In addition to promoting Vermont’s rich cultural landscape, these displays offer our youth the opportunity to see their work presented in a public setting.”
The imaginative and engaging pieces on display in March and April exemplify the strengths of students who are learning to explore art as a means to communicate and express their own artistic journeys while they are making sense of our increasingly visual age. According to a new report from the World Economic Forum, creativity at work is going to be one of the most important and in-demand skills in the next five years.
Visual literacy is an essential part of education since up to 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual. Art classes are where students learn the skills to communicate their knowledge and express their opinions visually. The arts challenge us with different points of view, compel us to empathize with others, and give us the opportunity to reflect on the human condition.
The exhibits are part of the nationwide celebration of Youth Art Month (YAM) designed to highlight the artistic achievements of students and to advocate for arts education programs in schools. Student art will also be on display at Chandler Gallery in Randolph and U.S. Rep. Becca Balint’s office in Burlington.
Student work is on display at area Welcome Centers in Hartford, Sharon, Randolph, and Fair Haven as well as in Bennington, Guilford, Williston (North and South), Georgia (North and South), Bradford and Lyndonville.
Submitted
2024 Vermont’s Youth Art Month Celebrations showcases student art like this peice by Mio in Vermont Welcome Center displays, promoting art education.