By Alicia Kelso

Try finding a more aesthetic time of year than spring, when the streets are bustling, everything is in bloom and blue skies make a full resurgence.

How fitting it is, then, that the Dublin City Schools present an annual Spring Art Show. This year’s event, the seventh annual, is April 13-22 at the Dublin Arts Council, 7125 Riverside Dr.

An artists’ reception is from 6-8 p.m. April 13 in the DAC Gallery.

The show features work by students in kindergarten through 12th grade, with two pieces per art class per school, or about 80 pieces. All of Dublin’s City Schools 19 buildings are represented.

Works are chosen by the district’s art teachers, and each participating student receives a certificate of acknowledgement from Superintendent David E. Axner.

The show has grown as the district has grown, which has meant adapting to different spaces in recent years. The show, which usually kicks off at the Columbus Museum of Art, was recently moved to its amphitheater because of the increase in participation. The entire exhibit eventually moves to the DAC, making it a “traveling exhibit.”

Because the museum is currently undergoing renovations, however, the exhibit will begin and remain at the DAC through its entirety this year.

Other than the steady growth and necessary change in venue, everything else will remain the same.

“We have stuck to this formula and it has worked very well. We don’t have the same thread of students each year, so the public experiencing the show will get a different perspective every year. And, I think people are always amazed about the level of artistic talent our district has to offer,” says Doug Baker, coordinator of public information for Dublin City Schools.

He adds that most of the submitted works are paintings.

In addition to the high level of talent, the show’s success can also be attributed to the strong partnership between the Dublin School District and the DAC.

“We have always had a good relationship with (the DAC) and I think that’s why the show is so unique. That and because we’re such a large district and we have every school and every grade participating – not competing for spots, but participating. I can’t think of any other district that does it like this,” Baker says.


The Spring Show isn’t the only event pairing the schools and the DAC. An “Emerging” show, also featuring students from kindergarten through 12th grade, is typically held in the fall, and representatives from the DAC also provide class presentations throughout the year at various Dublin schools.

David Guion, executive director for the DAC, adds many students in the district also take advantage of the council’s ongoing Riverboxes exhibit, discreet public artworks placed along the banks of the Scioto River found only via clues, much like letter-boxing or geo-caching.

“Part of our mission is to support lifelong learning, and working with the schools is part of that mandate. We feature mostly adults who are local, national and even international, but the students in Dublin are exceptionally talented. It is always a privilege to feature them and their amazing work,” Guion says.

With work picked by the teachers and everyone receiving a certificate, the spring show is a little different than the “Emerging” show in the fall, where the students’ work is selected by a jury.

“The fall show allows the students to submit their work as if they were in a professional gallery situation, so they understand the process and get that practice,” Guion says.

Students chosen for the April event will also experience some professionalism, however, especially during the exhibit opening.

“Opening night features a middle school quartet of strings and light refreshments. There will be art officials on hand to answer questions. We go all out, like any opening does,” Baker says. “You have to emphasize the arts – whether it is visual, theatrical, musical or performance. If it’s not being viewed or heard, it’s not getting the value it deserves and these kids deserve a wide audience.”

Alicia Kelso is a contributing editor for Dublin Life.

IF YOU GO:
The Spring Arts Show exhibition, which is held throughout Dublin Arts Council’s lower level, will be on view from April 13-22. The exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays; from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission Saturdays and reception are free of charge. For more information, call 614-889-7444 or visit www.dublinarts.org.