Over 337 students have participated in the Emerging Student Artists- Celebrating March as Youth Art Month Exhibit during the 2008 Maryland Legislative Session, January 15 –April 15, in the tunnels of the State House in Annapolis. The display includes artwork from throughout the State of Maryland. Every school system or county in Maryland was invited to submit student artworks to be on display in the tunnels. Congratulations to fifteen county systems that have student artists from Kindergarten to 12th grade participating in this exciting venue. This exhibit represents public and independent school systems.

The exhibit is designed to celebrate excellence in art education and to thank our legislature for its continued support of art education.  (The legislators travel through the tunnels each day when in session.)

The Maryland Art Education President Elect, Riselle Abrams, Adj, Professor of Art Education at  Towson University,  collaborated with Andrea Vernot, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts for the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development and Sharon Blake of the Maryland Arts Council  to coordinate the exhibit.  The MAEA works with the county supervisors to invite every public school art teacher in the state of Maryland to contribute an artwork to the display.  Artworks on exhibit are by individuals and some are collaborative effort by a group of students. The exhibit highlights how art teachers use diverse and creative teaching strategies statewide that help students to produce these exceptionally high quality  artworks. Selection of the artwork was done at the school level and collected by the school system fine arts supervisors for installation in the display.

Each participating artist will receive a certificate signed by Governor Martin O’ Malley. The certificates will be sent with the returned artwork after the exhibit is dismantled.

Student artists, their family and friends can visit the exhibit during State House business hours.  The hours for the State Buildings are 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Monday  through Friday.  The Legislative Services Bldg., 90 State Circle, has access to the tunnels until 5:30 Monday – Friday during session.

See below a small selection of artworks in the 2008 exhibit.           (2007 Emerging Artist Exhibit)