March Marks National Youth Art Month
March is National Youth Art Month, which is a nationwide initiative aimed at raising awareness for youth art programs across the nation. The Council for Art Education (CFAE) administers Youth Art Month and encourages support for school art programs, and promotes art material safety. The Council for Art Education (CFAE) administers the program at the national level and here in Texas, the Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) has been a leader in Youth Art Month since it began.
Founded in 1961, Youth Art Month began as a way to provide a medium for recognizing skills developed through visual arts experiences. These skills include: problem solving, creativity, observation and communication. Art shows, special exhibits, fundraisers, and school and community activities take place during the month of March to celebrate visual art education for grades K – 12. This year, the theme for Youth Art Month is “Building Community Through Art.” This initiative serves to increase community understanding and interest in art and art education through involvement in art exhibits, workshops, and other creative ventures.
The two main events of Youth Art Month are the Flag Design Contest and the State Capitol Artwork Exhibition. As part of the Flag Design Contest, each state Youth Art Month Chairperson selects a theme that is representative of that state and of the spirit of Youth Art Month, and students design flags around that theme. The winning design from each state is then made into an actual flag, and the 50 student-designed flags are then displayed throughout Washington, D.C. following an opening ceremony held the first week of March to commemorate the start of Youth Art Month. The State Capitol Artwork Exhibition takes place at our state capitol in Austin. Districts across the state may submit artwork made by Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade student artists to be selected for exhibition. The 2018 exhibit is currently on display in the Lower Rotunda of the Texas State Capitol Building and will remain there until March 26, 2018. I encourage those of you traveling to Austin to stop by and see these wonderful pieces of art.
As always, if you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. My offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces County (Part). He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.texas.gov or at 512-463-0672.
