Business & Tech
Student Art Show Features Roxborough's Finest
The show runs through mid-June at the Roxborough Development Corporation building.
At its 6148 Ridge Avenue location, the Roxborough Development Corporation(RDC) is hosting its first annual Student Art Show from now through mid-June. The show features 200 unique pieces of art created by students from Roxborough High School, Levering Elementary, Cook-Wissahickon Elementary, Dobson, and Holy Child.
The germ that became the idea for the show came when a Roxborough High School student contacted RDC executive director Bernard Guet asking where he could get his artwork displayed. Inspired by the student’s ambition, Guet and the others at the RDC came up with an idea for a youth art display and, in conjunction with art instructors at several local schools, put together an impressive roster of young talent.
At the show, which is free to the public, visitors can simply appreciate the work or participate by voting for their favorite pieces--the top five of which will be recognized.
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For many parents, the power of the show was amplified by its backdrop: a raging political battle over proposed cuts to Pennsylvania's education budget, of which the implications for the arts are abundantly clear. Most Philadelphia School District schools already lack the funds to include arts education in their curriculums and, with the steep proposed cuts, area parents fear that what little there is will be eliminated all together.
In response to the proposed cuts, Guet said, “To me, [the proposed budget] is embarrassing. Arts are so important for kids’ development. There should be no cuts in education at all." Regarding his art show, he continued, “The children are so excited to see their art on display, as it is an expression of who they are, and what they are thinking.”
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“There was a great turnout to the show," added Ken Bigos, operations manager of the RDC. “Not only did kids come with their parents, but they invited aunts, uncles, neighbors… Roxborough is so family oriented, so there was really a lot of interest in this show.”
The interest was sufficient to draw in the president of the Manayunk Art Center, as well as state Rep. Pam DeLissio (D-194).
The display will run through mid-June, and the results of voting will be announced on June 5 from 11 a.m. through 3 p.m.
