“P.S. Art 2014: Celebrating the Creative Spirit of NYC Kids” is open for special viewing for three months, now through Aug. 25, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Artworks of all media by talented students pre-K through 12th grade are displayed in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education at the Met. The juried exhibition celebrates its 12th year.
As part of the city’s annual Museum Mile Festival, the opening ceremony took place on June 10. Tom Finkelpearl, commissioner of cultural affairs for the city of New York; Sandra Jackson-Dumont, the Frederick P. and Sandra P. Rose chairman of education of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; and Agnes Gund, founder of Studio in a School, were among the speakers at a private ceremony for students, parents and teachers prior to the opening.
The “P.S. Art” exhibition is a great example of the many ways the Met helps foster creativity and learning among New York City students. Each year, the Met provides free museum visits to over 60,000 New York City public school students. Over 2,500 teachers and administrators participate in professional development workshops at the Met.
“This is the seventh year that the museum has hosted the ‘P.S. Art’ exhibition. The Met has become one of my favorite summer traditions,” commented Thomas P. Campbell, the museum’s director and CEO. “It is gratifying to witness the outstanding talent and unique artistic vision of schoolchildren from throughout the city’s five boroughs. We invite the families to come back often and hope that visiting the Met becomes a tradition for them, too.”
Sandra Jackson-Dumont added, “I hope people will flock to see the inspired artwork of these young artists, who have demonstrated creativity, persistence and a host of other qualities that will serve them throughout their lives and in whatever career paths they pursue. We are delighted to provide them and their families with passes for free admission to the museum so they can explore the world through the lens of other artists—past and present, near and far.”
The annual P.S. Art competition fully integrates all public school students from the pre-kindergarten level through the 12th grade. Young artists with a broad spectrum of life experiences made the works in this year’s exhibition. Students with special needs will be represented, as will students enrolled in advanced-placement art classes. The exhibition shows the many and varied ways that student creativity, artistic ability and subject matter evolve on the journey from childhood to adulthood.
The works in the “P.S. Art 2014” exhibition were chosen from 890 submissions citywide. A jury comprising of distinguished members of the art community, including members of the Met staff, made the final selection.
All of the works in the exhibition will also be featured on the museum’s website at www.metmuseum.org.