June 13, 2017

Promoting excellence in the arts with pARTnership

pARTnership Gallery

Student artists from Edmonton Public Schools and Edmonton Catholic Schools unveiled their art as part of the newest work to be featured in the pARTnership Gallery at the Edmonton Convention Centre on June 13, 2017. Students celebrated the evening with their families by speaking about the importance of art in the education process and hearing from Edmonton artist Gordon R. Johnston.

In its eighth year, this annual event is a collaborative partnership between the two Edmonton school districts and Edmonton’s premier convention centre. The Edmonton Convention Centre opened the pARTnership Gallery in 2010 to further its commitment to public art, student growth and community engagement.

“Our District is proud of the talent and creativity of our students. We are also grateful to the Edmonton Convention Centre for their continued partnership in sharing the fantastic work of our students,” said Michelle Draper, Edmonton Public Schools Board Chair.

58 pieces of student artwork will be featured for an entire year in the Edmonton Convention Centre’s high traffic corridor and will be seen by a half a million visitors. This gallery is also a venue to The Works Art and Design Festival, which runs June 22 to July 4 at various locations throughout the city.

“We are so proud of the creative achievements exhibited and the wonderful works our students have shared in this exhibit. The artworks presented communicate the ideas, tell the stories, and convey the beliefs of our student artists,” said Laura Thibert, Board Chair, Edmonton Catholic Schools. “As Elliot Eisner said, “Art is literacy of the heart.” The exhibit reflects the dedication and hard work of art students and teachers present in classrooms every day. We thank the Edmonton Convention Centre for partnering with us to provide this opportunity to celebrate and promote excellence in art,” Thibert went on to say.

“We’re pleased to be able to support the community through art and social progress initiatives that engage and inspire Edmontonians,” said Lisanne Lewis, Edmonton Convention Centre General Manager. “The student gallery has become a staple of the convention centre and is extremely popular amongst all our guests.”

Each year both districts celebrate the unveiling of the artwork with their teachers, principals, family members and trustees at a special reception. For more information on the Edmonton Convention Centre’s local art initiatives, visit https://www.edmontonconventioncentre.com/art-in-unconventional-spaces/. The Edmonton Convention Centre now features over 70 pieces of art work. Walking tour booklets are available through our reception office on the pedway level.

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