Spark the Art! 40th Annual School Art Show

Center Space Gallery
February 9 – April 13, 2024

Wilmarie Burgos Quiles, Untitled, Chalk Pastel, 6th Grade – Forest City Middle School

Spark The Art! is the theme of the 40th annual Youth Art Month Exhibition at the Charles H. MacNider Art Museum, Mason City.  The display opens on Friday, February 9, 2024 in the Museum’s Center Space Gallery.  This year the spotlight shines on students in grades 5-8, celebrating their spontaneity and creativeness. 

Student artists whose artwork has been selected for the exhibition will be honored at a reception and recognition ceremony at the Museum on Saturday, March 23 at 11:00 a.m.  Certificates will be passed out at 11:30 a.m.  The reception will be hosted by Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary sorority for women in education.  The event is free and open to all.

This year’s exhibition features artwork from middle-grade students at Belmond Klemme Junior High School, Forest City Middle School, Hampton-Dumont CAL Community Schools, Home School Group, John Adams Middle School, Lincoln Intermediate, and West Hancock Middle School.

The purpose of Youth Art Month is to emphasize the value of art education for all students and to encourage support for quality school art programs.  Demonstrated outcomes of art education are the development of critical thinking skills, self-esteem, appreciation of the work of others, self-expression and cooperative working skills.  Art teachers from Central Rivers Area Education Agency, Clear Lake Regional Office schools were invited to enter artwork from their students.  Fifty-seven artworks from seven schools were selected for this year’s show.  The exhibition is on display through Saturday, April 13.  The Charles H. MacNider Art Museum is free and open to the public.

Image: Wilmarie Burgos Quiles, Untitled, Chalk Pastel, 6th Grade – Forest City Middle School