Guest post by Paige Connelly, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication
At Carrboro’s eclectic Weaver Street Market, a youthful display of artwork decorates the cafe’s interior – an exhibit called Art:K12.
This exhibit is a running installment that seeks to showcase unique art by local children. It’s a highly visible place that gives kids from all over Orange County a chance to display their work. Every five weeks, the display changes to highlight an art class from a different school.
“My original idea happened after the Carrboro store was remodeled,” Mary Votta, the coordinator of the Art:K12 program said, “and the dining area had all these new walls that were covered by nothing, and they really just needed something to be interesting.”
So, she took it upon herself to do something about it. “I had always wanted to have a place to exhibit the artwork of children,” she said. “So I asked, ‘Would it be alright if I asked the district schools, would they be interested in having a place in public to exhibit art work?’ and there was interest, so that’s how it started.”
Votta had been planning and showcasing art exhibits for years. She coordinated the exhibits program at a restaurant for nine years, and also coordinated shows for the ArtsCenter.
“That was very successful and people loved being able to see local artwork there,” she said. So after getting inspired by the white walls of Weaver Street, she thought the same concept was at hand. She felt so strongly about children’s art because she felt schools sometimes neglected it.
“The fact that art in public schools is becoming deemphasized, and a lot of school districts have defunded this development just seemed so sad to me,” she said. “A lot of times the way children learn and the way they express themselves is by depicting.”
That led her to believe in this idea of showcasing children’s art, and made the decision concrete to her.
“So I thought, ‘Well, maybe this is one way to recognize children,” she said, “and recognize art teachers as being engaged in something very valuable.”
Brenda Whiteman, the arts education coordinator for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, explained that along with Weaver Street, there are a few other places that display kids’ art, and it really matters to the children to see their art somewhere that’s not in their school or home.
“The credit unions, Weaver Street, the library, all of those are really public places, where lots of people tend to go, so they’re visible to a larger audience,” she said. “I think it’s wonderful for the children. It really makes them feel important and valued to have their work displayed in a public place like that.”
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system has 11 elementary schools and four middle schools. Art:K12’s purpose, Whiteman said, is to try and showcase as many schools’ art classes as possible, and introduce them to the community.
“I think it does wonderful things to build relationships with the community – the more they can see the work of the schools in the community,” she said.
Jessica Greene, an art teacher at FPG Bilingüe Elementary School in Chapel Hill, had her class featured this month. She felt it’s important for the community because it emphasizes art education to the public.
“We all like to take every opportunity to share our students’ work because it promotes the importance of art in education and for children,” she said.
Her class’s display is the ninth to be shown. It will be displayed until March 13 at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro, and she’s had a lot of great feedback on the exhibit.
“I’ve gotten more positive feedback from families and school staff about this show than about any other,” Greene said. “The show looks very impressive, and I guess everyone goes to Weaver Street. I think it’s a wonderful way for Weaver Street to connect with our community.”