For the past 33 years, in cooperation with the Hawaii District Department of Education, the East Hawaii Cultural Center has hosted the Young at Art exhibit, showcasing the creative efforts of Hawaii’s children from grades K-12.
“It’s such a thrill and inspiration for keiki when they see their very own art displayed in a real art gallery,” said EHCC Executive Director Kellie Miyazu.
This year, EHCC added a new feature, asking children to reflect on a theme as they created their work. In keeping with the unprecedented events that our island and the world have struggled with, the theme of the 2021 Young at Art Exhibit is “CommUnity: Finding Togetherness in Distance.” By theming each year’s exhibit, EHCC hopes students will express their thoughts and feelings about the world around them while exploring the “why” behind their creative process.
“It’s more important than ever to create and use art as a form of expression. Creativity is essential in problem solving and facing challenges. We want to encourage the development of this essential tool among our keiki, and challenge all young artists to explore topics and issues that are important to them,” said YAA Coordinator Marisa Miyashiro.
Students were asked to create artwork that shows a current event or issue that they find important, including but not limited to equality, climate change, health, and being apart from loved ones and classmates.
While there will be no opening ceremony this year, the public is invited to visit the gallery or explore the show online at www.ehcc.org/content/young-art-2021.
EHCC is adhering to all county and state regulations to promote safety during the pandemic. Visitors are required to wear face masks and maintain social distancing. A maximum of 10 visitors will be permitted in the gallery and hand sanitizer will be available for all patrons.
Gallery Hours for the exhibition are 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday–Friday, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, visit EHCC online at ehcc.org, call 961-5711, or visit the gallery at 141 Kalakaua Street in Hilo.