The public is invited to the opening reception of the annual Portland Public Schools Student Art Show at City Hall on Friday, May 3 and also to view artwork from the middle school Make It Happen Art Competition, on display at Central Office during the first Friday Art Walk May 3.

At the annual Portland Public Schools Student Art Show at City Hall, running from May 3 to May 17, the artwork of hundreds of talented students in kindergarten through grade 12 will be on display in City Hall hallways.

The City Hall student art show kicks off with the opening reception, which will take place during the city’s First Friday Art Walk. The reception will run from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Students’ musical abilities also will be on display during the reception, with a 4:30 p.m. performance by students in the Portland Public Schools Orchestra. Refreshments will be provided by students in the Culinary Arts program at PATHS.

“The PPS district art show celebrates our brilliant and amazing students and highlights the value and beauty of the arts,” said Chad Hart, art teacher at Deering High School and the district’s art coordinator. “It exhibits the talent and dedication of the student artists in our district and the commitment and expertise of our teachers. It is a way to show our community all of the wonderful things that happen in our art rooms throughout the district. Lastly, the art show communicates students' personal expression and thought-provoking messages in meaningful ways that only happen through the arts." 

In addition, the community is invited to view artwork from the middle school Make It Happen Art Competition, which will be on display at Central Office from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on May 3.

The middle school Make It Happen Art Competition art display is part of an ongoing series of student art exhibits at Central Office that coincide with First Friday Art Walk events. In the May display, students have created  visual, ceramic, written and performing art pieces on the theme of “Black History is Made Every Day.” The event also will feature music by Genius Black, a musical artist, social innovator, entrepreneur and podcaster.

To kick off the contest, Genius visited the three middle schools to talk about his experience and share studio time with our Make It Happen students. In addition, in celebration of the art contest, Make It Happen students visited the Art in Bloom exhibit in March at the Portland Museum of Art. 

Thanks to the Continuum Arts Collective and Colby Senior, a community coordinator in the PPS Multilingual and Multicultural Center, for securing a very generous donation of art supplies for the art competition. Make It Happen is an award-winning academic coaching and enrichment program for multilingual students across Portland’s middle and high schools.

WHAT: Opening reception for the Annual Portland Public Schools Student Art Show at City Hall. Also, a display of student artwork from the middle school Make It Happen Art Competition at Central Office, 353 Cumberland Avenue.

WHEN/WHERE:  City Hall Art Show: Friday, May 3, City Hall, 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. during First Friday Art Walk (4:30 p.m. performance by students in the Portland Public Schools Orchestra) Central Office display: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, May 3 at Central Office, 353 Cumberland Avenue.