Press Release: 52nd Annual West Contra Costa Unified School District and Richmond Art Center Art in the Community Student Shows This Spring
52nd Annual West Contra Costa Unified School District and Richmond Art Center Art in the Community Student Shows This Spring
Popular shows featuring the artwork of hundreds of local students return to the Art Center’s Community Gallery this season.
RICHMOND, CA — March 9, 2017 — This Spring, the Richmond Art Center will present two exhibitions showcasing the work of West Contra Costa Unified School District’s elementary, middle and high school students. The 52nd Annual West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) Student Art Show opens in the Community Gallery on Tuesday, March 20, followed by the Richmond Art Center’s Art in the Community Show on April 29, 2017.
Joelle Park, 10th grade, El Cerrito High School
The Richmond Art Center has a five decade-long partnership with the WCCUSD, and many of the district’s art students receive instruction from teachers who have received art-specific training through the Art Center. This exhibition features over 250 works of art, created in a variety of media—from ceramics to acrylic— representing the creative artistic talents of students from middle and high schools throughout the school district. Says Executive Director Ric Ambrose, “The Richmond Art Center and WCCUSD share an ongoing vision: that art education is a crucial component of a thriving and productive community. We are proud to support the efforts of so many teachers and students in our district as they discover and learn through explorations in art.”
There will be a special reception honoring the WCCUSD students and art teachers on Thursday, April 13 from 5-7 pm, which will be free and open to the public. The John F. Kennedy Band will perform and several art awards will be given out for the students’ artistic talent and originality. The West Contra Costa Unified School District has generously sponsored the annual student exhibition.
Opening on April 29, the Richmond Art Center’s Art in the Community Show will feature the work of the area’s youngest artists: children from elementary and middle schools who participated in the Art Center’s popular Art in the Community program throughout the year. The reception for the Art in the Community will take place on May 21, 2017 at noon.
These student shows coincide with the Art Center’s featured exhibitions: Marking Space, a survey of modern sculpture and installation art, and Mapping the Uncharted, an updated appreciation of mapmaking. All events and exhibitions are free and open to the public. For more information about Spring exhibitions, programming, and events, please visit the Richmond Art Center’s website: https://richmondartcenter.org
About the Richmond Art Center:
The Richmond Art Center is the largest visual arts center in the East Bay, delivering exciting arts experiences to young and old alike who reflect the diverse richness of our community. The Art Center features hands-on learning, well-equipped studios, Art in the Community programs and contemporary exhibitions in its galleries.
Every year, the Richmond Art Center serves thousands of students through classes and programs taught by professional artists, both onsite at the Art Center and at sites throughout Richmond. The Art Center’s four galleries mount rotating exhibitions that display the works of emerging and established Bay Area artists. Artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, Richard Misrach, Wanxin Zhang, Mildred Howard, Bella Feldman, Hung Liu, William Wiley, June Schwartz, and David Park have been showcased here.
The Richmond Art Center originated in 1936, when local artist Hazel Salmi, who worked for the WPA, traversed the streets of Richmond with a suitcase packed with art supplies, eager to teach art to anyone interested. Today, everything at the Art Center continues to breathe life into Salmi’s original vision: That within every person lives an artist.
Visit the Richmond Art Center’s website for more information: https://richmondartcenter.org/
Contact:
Julie Sparenberg
Communications Manager
julie@richmondartcenter.org
510-620-6772
