Annual Juried Exhibition Displays Artistic Creativity and Accomplishments of Public School Students throughout New York City
Exhibition Dates: June 14–October 23, 2016
Exhibition Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education, Ground Floor
P.S. Art 2016: Celebrating the Creative Spirit of NYC Kids, the annual juried exhibition of works of art in a variety of media created by public school students in New York City’s five boroughs, returns to The Met Fifth Avenue this summer, from June 14 through October 23, 2016. The Museum celebrated the artists with an opening ceremony for students, parents, and teachers on Tuesday, June 14, the evening of the City’s annual Museum Mile Festival, after which the exhibition opened for a special public viewing. In addition to being displayed at The Met, a select group of works of art from the exhibition were also featured for five days on outdoor digital screens in Times Square, June 22–26, courtesy of the Times Square Advertising Coalition (TSAC).
P.S. Art 2016: Celebrating the Creative Spirit of NYC Kids is a project of the New York City Department of Education and Studio in a School Association, Inc.
By presenting the work of public school students from prekindergarten through the 12th grade, P.S. Art highlights the ways in which creativity, artistic ability, and subject matter evolve on the journey from childhood to adulthood. The 89 works in this year’s exhibition were made by 90 young artists with a broad spectrum of life experience. Students with special needs are represented, as will students participating in advanced-placement art classes.
Dignitaries from the New York City Department of Education, Studio in a School, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art were among the speakers at the private ceremony prior to the opening.
For the second consecutive year, a selection of art from the exhibition were displayed on outdoor digital screens in Times Square through a collaboration with TSAC. Images of the selected works were shown for three minutes every hour from Wednesday, June 22, through Sunday, June 26, on signs owned and operated by Bank of America and Clear Channel Spectacolor. A press conference marked the kickoff of this collaborative project on Wednesday, June 22, on Military Island (located in Times Square on Broadway, between 43th and 44th Streets).
Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of The Met, remarked, “It’s always rewarding to present the work of our City’s talented young artists. These students are at the perfect age to discover their creativity through The Met, and we hope they continue to enjoy the Museum throughout their lives.”
Sandra Jackson-Dumont, the Museum’s Frederick P. and Sandra P. Rose Chairman of Education, added, “The works of art in this exceptional exhibition represent a powerful combination of diverse perspectives, unique artistic voices, hard work, and supportive communities. We are thrilled to celebrate such a talented group of young artists and their families, and we are honored to have their imaginative work displayed on the walls of The Met.”
The 89 works in the P.S. Art 2016 exhibition were chosen from 1,205 submissions citywide. A jury comprised of distinguished members of the art community, including members of The Met staff, made the final decisions. The Museum provides free passes to all the student artists represented in the exhibition to encourage them to return frequently during the course of the show.
Now in its ninth year at The Met, the P.S. Art exhibition has become one of the many ways in which the Museum fosters the creativity and education of New York City students. Each year, The Met provides free visits to more than 77,000 New York City public school students, and over 2,300 New York City public school teachers and administrators participate in professional development workshops at the Museum.
All of the works in the exhibition will also be featured on The Met website, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using the hashtag #PSArt2016.
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Updated July 5, 2016
Image: Faces of Youth. Cyra Cupid. Age 16, Grade 11. Brooklyn High School of the Arts. Art Teacher: Lara Hill. Acrylic on canvas board