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South Canterbury’s budding young artists have once again had their creativity rewarded as another edition of Artarama goes into the books.
The long-running exhibition returned to Aigantighe Art Gallery this year and featured more than 400 works from year 1-13 students across 18 South Canterbury schools.
Exhibitions curator Izzy Hillman said it was great to have had the exhibition back in the gallery after it was held as a pop-up exhibition in Stafford St last year while the gallery was undergoing renovations.
“Honestly, it’s been a joy. There’s nothing quite like walking into the gallery and seeing it completely taken over by kids’ artwork, bright colours everywhere, and parents craning their necks trying to spot their child’s piece.
“It changes the whole feel of the space. For a few weeks the Aigantighe belongs to South Canterbury’s young artists, and that’s exactly as it should be.”
The exhibition opened on August 15 and culminated on Sunday with a prizegiving to recognise some of the outstanding work that had been submitted.
Ms Hillman said the winners were judged by a panel made up of representatives from Rotary Timaru North, the South Canterbury Arts Society and Friends of the Aigantighe.
“I love that mix: you’ve got people looking at the work through different lenses, whether that’s community spirit, technical skill, or a real love of the arts.
“It makes for a well-rounded judging process, and it means the students’ work is being genuinely appreciated, not just ticked off a list.
”We awarded 18 prizes at the prizegiving itself, with around 100 attendees. There’s one more award still to come, our People’s Choice Award, which will be drawn at the end of the day on September 12.”
Prizewinning schools included Arowhenua Māori School (three prizes), Twizel Area School (four prizes), and Craighead Diocesan School (three prizes), along with Grantlea Downs, Winchester Rural School, Bluestone School, Timaru Girls’ High School, Mountainview High School, and a group of homeschooled students also receiving awards.
It was still very important to have an event like Artarama for young artists in the region, Ms Hillman said.
“I think we sometimes underestimate what it means for a young person to see their work on a real gallery wall, properly lit, with a little label next to it.
“It tells them their creativity matters. For some of these students, this might be the only time in their life they exhibit in a gallery, and if that plants a seed, even a small one, then Artarama’s done its job.
“We’ve seen from previous years that many of the winners go on to study arts, and some have made careers from their creativity.”
She said although entry numbers were down on previous years the exhibition had very much been a success.
“Schools are under a lot of pressure at the moment, and art programmes can be one of the first things squeezed out when times are tight.
“If anything, it makes events like Artarama even more important to support, and 18 schools and around 400 works is no small effort. That’s hundreds of students who sat down, picked up a pencil or a paintbrush, and decided to give it a go.
“Every one of those pieces represents a kid who took a risk and put their work out there, and that’s something worth celebrating regardless of the numbers.”
Ms Hillman said she was very thankful for all the support the exhibition had received this year.
“A huge thank you, to the schools and teachers who make the time for this every year, to the sponsors who make the prizes possible, and to everyone who’s popped into the gallery to see the exhibition.
“The People’s Choice Award is still up for grabs, so get down to the gallery and vote for your favourite.”