Arts Council of the Valley presents exhibition of Rockingham County student art

Arts Council of the Valley announced the ninth annual artVISION: Rockingham County Public Schools Youth Art Month Show.

The exhibition opens at Smith House Galleries March 7 during First Fridays of the Valley, with a 5 to 7 p.m. reception. Visitors may attend the reception to explore 100 works of art by students in RCPS, meet their art teachers and sample light refreshments.

“We’re excited to exhibit artwork from Rockingham County Public Schools at Smith House Galleries again during Youth Art Month. This is a great opportunity for members of the community to see and appreciate the creativity of RCPS students,” RCPS Supervisor of Fine Arts Becky Ford said. She coordinated the exhibition of works by 100 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

The artVISION exhibition, made possible with support from Rockingham County and Rockingham Educational Foundation, Inc., is installed through March 28, with in-person visits Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The galleries will also be open Second Saturday (March 8) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Three virtual albums featuring elementary, middle and high school artwork from the exhibition will be available online in early March.

Ford extended gratitude toward RCPS art teachers for their diligent work in bringing the exhibition to life:

• Elementary School: Janae Flores, Edwina George, Gracie Hogan, Maria Leckey, Emma
  Reger, Rebecca Rogers, Mary Shaffer, Courtney Spiers, Kristi Strine, Hannah Webb,
  Cayse Zwanzig.
• Middle School: Naomi Gibson, Mimi Guido, Sam Ritter, Sarah Beth Taylor.
• High School: Kim Floyd, Martha Maddox, Christopher Michael, Brandy Somers, Emily
  Quesenberry, Erin Whetzel.

Arts Council of the Valley is at 311 South Main Street in downtown Harrisonburg. A 501(c)3 nonprofit, ACV is dedicated to cultivating the arts, creating experiences and connecting communities throughout the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Since 2000, ACV has grown into a multi-faceted community organization that fosters innovative partnerships among area businesses, civic organizations, schools and artists.

ACV is supported in part by the City of Harrisonburg, the Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority, and the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.