“Children’s art is many things to many people. To a parent, art is a display of their child’s imagination. To an educator, it’s a teaching tool. To a psychologist, art is a way to understand a child’s mind. To a grandparent, it’s a way to feel connected. To a librarian, it’s a way to enhance book knowledge. To a child, art is a way to have fun, make decisions, and express choices.” – Anna Reyner
Art is a part of children’s life from an early age. In childcare, kindergarten, prep and throughout school children use drawing as a means of amusement, expression and education. They are exposed to it daily in the form of cartoons and illustrations; even the packaging of the food they eat & drink is artistic.
Art is an essential part of growing up. It has no standards, values or boundaries and is perhaps one of the most individual and personal forms of expression around. Too often than not children are involved in so many extra curricula activities, from music to sport and everything in between (chess club, karate, French lessons etc), that there is little time allocated to appreciating art.
“Not all kids have Beiber fever! When you get them off their video games and into an art gallery you will be surprised how many actually appreciate art and it is interesting the different perspectives they bring with them.” Margaret Campbell-Ryder (Director, Red Hill Gallery)
Children from an early age should be exposed to art in all forms. Brisbane is great for this exposure with QAGoMA having a permanent children’s exhibition and a fantastic program for kids, but how about putting art in a more personal, intimate space, how about their bedroom?A space where children can spend a lot of time whether it be studying, playing, resting or even time out. It is a perfect room to hang art – A place where contemplation can bloom…
“Children should be able to enjoy and grow up surrounded by art, so they become culturally aware and develop a sense of aesthetics” – Karen Atkins
Whether your child loves dance, sport, fairies, animals, cars, trucks or trains, art for children is a wonderful way to inspire them and start them on the road to the wonderful world of discovering art whilst giving them a gift they can cherish for life.
Encourage children to create, to learn, to acquire by investing in their future and creative minds with art, more and more we are seeing parents and indeed grandparents giving the gift of art for a child’s lifetime of enjoyment, because ultimately that is what art offers, enjoyment.
The QAGOMA Children’s Art Centre is a leader in developing interactive projects, activities and publications for children and families.
The Children’s Art Centre is an initiative of the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. It has a permanent physical home at the Gallery of Modern Art, and presents exhibitions and programs across the Gallery’s two sites. The Children’s Art Centre also presents an annual touring program throughout regional Queensland and an award-winning publishing program for young audiences.
This year, QAGOMA celebrates 15 years of programming for young visitors; the Gallery’s first exhibition for children was ‘Portraits are People Pictures’ in 1998. The Gallery has since become a leader in developing interactive exhibitions, projects, activities and publications for children and their families
