Illinois Art Station - Western Avenue - 2018
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Illinois Art Station is excited to announce that they have been awarded a grant from Illinois Prairie Community Foundation’s Mirza Arts and Culture Fund to support a new program, Art Perspectives. Art Perspectives is an arts engagement program for children in Kindergarten through Fifth grade. Presented in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal, participants will develop their own creative voice and learn how to use the elements of art to visually express themselves. Children will learn various artistic perspectives and practice combining different ideas and techniques to create unique and personal works of art.

“Art Perspectives is an exciting program that blends self-expression through art making – using examples from contemporary artists – with a focus on the 7 main elements of art,” says Joey Hatch, Illinois Art Station’s Program Coordinator. “Each unit of study will share four new artists from four different genres and give students ample opportunity to blend what they are learning with their own personal art making. I’m very excited to see this program get started and even more excited to see what wonderful art our participants design.”

The first sessions of Art Perspectives will run during the 2021-22 school year and culminate in a virtual exhibition where students will have their works displayed for the public to see. “The addition of a virtual exhibition is a very special aspect of this program,” says Laura Jaster, Illinois Art Station’s Executive Director. “Being able to share their artwork – work that they are really proud of – helps instill confidence and pride and really brings the program full circle for our young artists.”

Art Perspectives will be a perennial program for Illinois Art Station and Jaster noted that “we are excited to add this community program to our lineup and to have a meaningful impact on children in this age group. We are so thankful to IPCF for helping make this possible!” More information about Illinois Art Station’s community programs can be found at illinoisartstation.org/community.

Illinois Art Station is a public nonprofit institution dedicated to providing all children, youth, and their families with transformative learning through hands-on experiences with the visual arts. For more information please contact Laura Jaster at 309.386.1019, email info@illinoisartstation.org, or visit IAS online at illinoisartstation.org.