The Arts Council of Calvert County -- Youth Art

The Young Artists Program was created in support of the Arts Council's mission to invest in and encourage the arts in Calvert County. In giving every school-aged child the opportunity to display their work in a professional setting the Arts Council hopes to sow a seed of interest in the future members of Calvert County's artistic community.

Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, the Arts Council began sponsoring month long art shows in the CalvART Gallery's Student Gallery area. Ultimately over the course of the next couple of years, the Arts Council anticipates featuring each of the public and private schools in the county. These shows allow all of Calvert's art teachers the opportunity to display the artistic creations of their talented pupils in a gallery that already shows the work of some of Calvert County's most well known and celebrated adult artists.

Student Gallery, located within the CalvART Gallery, is open Wednesday - Sunday, 11am - 5pm

In addition to the Student Art Gallery, the Arts Council hosts the Poetry Out Loud Competition for High School students each year. In 2011 it will be held on January 24 at 4:00 pm at CalvART Gallery in Prince Frederick.

The Arts Council booth was a great success at Artsfest ’11!

In conjunction with selling the children’s book “Bay Babies” which was illustrated by the late Mary Beth Harry, one of the founding members of CalvART Gallery, the Arts Council invited all young Artsfest attendees to sketch their own Bay Baby! Three of the four winners are pictured below.

Assisting the young artists was Arts Council volunteer Allie Hosmer (right) who is a Junior at Huntingtown High School.

The Arts Council also supports the competition of Congressman Steny Hoyer and the Congressional Arts Competition. In 2010 the Arts Council of Calvert County was honored to host a Reception in the CalvART Gallery honoring the students in the Arts Competition and their parents. Congressman Hoyer was present and visited with all of the young artists. Twenty-two students were recognized in 2010 with the winner being Catie Dorshefski of the Beddow School in Ft. Washington. Her piece of art will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year, while the other entries will be displayed in Congressman Hoyer's office. We plan to make this reception an annual event!