A brief history of the Student Art Show
The Santa Maria Arts Council introduced the first Student Art Show in 1980, in response to cutbacks in school art programs. The Council’s goal, to encourage classroom teachers to keep the visual arts alive, remains a fundamental element of education. As our Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone recently stated, “the link between the arts and student achievement is undeniable.”
From 1980-92 the annual Student Art Show was displayed in the interior corridors of the Santa Maria Town Center. The prize winning works were then moved to Santa Barbara Savings and Loan (a major sponsor) for the awards reception.
When the Museum Art Center (MAC) came into being, the Student Art Show was included in their spring schedule, attracting many visitors to their home in the Town Center West from 1993-96. The show was homeless until 1998 when the Town Center once again provided space for the grand sum of $1 per year. The space was perfect for the display of art, and we often had 300-450 pieces on display for several weeks each year. This year, we moved the Student Art Show to Shepard Hall in the Santa Maria Public Library in an effort to keep the show open without volunteers to monitor and sit the show. Shepard Hall has hosted a number of local, professional artists, and the library has a wonderful children’s area so we hope the library patrons enjoy the addition of student artwork.
Today’s unstable economy has taken a toll on the arts, and with recent state cutbacks in education, mandated testing for all school children, limited or nonexistent funding for visual art supplies as well as for qualified art instructors, entries for the annual Student Art Show have declined tremendously. Elementary schools are now “teaching to the test” and since proficiency in the visual arts is not tested, there does not seem to be enough time in the school day to allow for student creativity on a regular basis. Because of this, the show was modified some years ago to showcase artwork from grades 7-12.
The Santa Maria Arts Council is grateful that our local junior highs and high schools are keeping visual art within their curriculum, and that they have extremely talented instructors to encourage students to pursue creative excellence. This commitment is evident by the quality of work on display for your enjoyment.
The Santa Maria Arts Council presents over $1,000 in awards for the Show, including ribbons, certificates of participation and cash prizes. This exhibit only happens through the efforts of the Santa Maria Arts Council and their partners who believe that the arts should be available to all students. We truly feel that art matters!
Thank you for visiting the 32nd annual Student Art Show. Please continue to support the visual arts and encourage your local school districts to keep art education in our schools at all levels.
We hope you enjoy the show!
The Santa Maria Arts Council introduced the first Student Art Show in 1980, in response to cutbacks in school art programs. The Council’s goal, to encourage classroom teachers to keep the visual arts alive, remains a fundamental element of education. As our Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone recently stated, “the link between the arts and student achievement is undeniable.”
From 1980-92 the annual Student Art Show was displayed in the interior corridors of the Santa Maria Town Center. The prize winning works were then moved to Santa Barbara Savings and Loan (a major sponsor) for the awards reception.
When the Museum Art Center (MAC) came into being, the Student Art Show was included in their spring schedule, attracting many visitors to their home in the Town Center West from 1993-96. The show was homeless until 1998 when the Town Center once again provided space for the grand sum of $1 per year. The space was perfect for the display of art, and we often had 300-450 pieces on display for several weeks each year. This year, we moved the Student Art Show to Shepard Hall in the Santa Maria Public Library in an effort to keep the show open without volunteers to monitor and sit the show. Shepard Hall has hosted a number of local, professional artists, and the library has a wonderful children’s area so we hope the library patrons enjoy the addition of student artwork.
Today’s unstable economy has taken a toll on the arts, and with recent state cutbacks in education, mandated testing for all school children, limited or nonexistent funding for visual art supplies as well as for qualified art instructors, entries for the annual Student Art Show have declined tremendously. Elementary schools are now “teaching to the test” and since proficiency in the visual arts is not tested, there does not seem to be enough time in the school day to allow for student creativity on a regular basis. Because of this, the show was modified some years ago to showcase artwork from grades 7-12.
The Santa Maria Arts Council is grateful that our local junior highs and high schools are keeping visual art within their curriculum, and that they have extremely talented instructors to encourage students to pursue creative excellence. This commitment is evident by the quality of work on display for your enjoyment.
The Santa Maria Arts Council presents over $1,000 in awards for the Show, including ribbons, certificates of participation and cash prizes. This exhibit only happens through the efforts of the Santa Maria Arts Council and their partners who believe that the arts should be available to all students. We truly feel that art matters!
Thank you for visiting the 32nd annual Student Art Show. Please continue to support the visual arts and encourage your local school districts to keep art education in our schools at all levels.
We hope you enjoy the show!