Adelaide Festival Centre reveals plans for interactive children's gallery

Adelaide Festival Centre has today revealed plans to open a new interactive children’s gallery - Children’s Artspace – which will become part of an international network of similar children’s galleries. The gallery will connect with similar institutions around the world and even exchange exhibitions and digital workshops with places including the Hamada Children’s Museum of Art in Japan and the Children’s Museum of Art in New York. It is also currently in discussions with the International Museum of Children’s Art in Oslo, Norway, and children’s museums around Australia.

The new space will be dedicated to children of all ages, students, and their families, to share big ideas and engage with art created by and for South Australian children. Opening on 19th February next year, it will become a regular attraction at Adelaide Festival Centre’s Artspace venue, complimenting other arts events on offer.

Hosting a new exhibition each school term, the gallery will present interactive workshops, performances and offer creative experiences for children and families as part of Adelaide Festival Centre’s CentrED, On Stage programs and the new Families At Adelaide Festival Centre program, starting next year.

Adelaide Festival Centre Chief Executive and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier notes “Adelaide Festival Centre has one of the most comprehensive education and learning programs amongst international arts centres and is the proud presenter of DreamBIG Children’s Festival – so the creation of Children’s Artspace is a logical extension of those activities.

“It was also inspired by similar international organisations and their remarkable creative achievement and impact – so we are very pleased that we will be part of a global network of like-minded galleries in Japan, the United States and Norway. This has so much potential for international exchange and cultural engagement.

“We are also delighted to be partnering in this project with the Adelaide Central School of Art and the new Children’s Artspace will interface with the new Festival Plaza and will be a major public attraction. I would like to thank the private donors and corporate partners that have made this possible.”

Children’s Artspace will launch as part of a special Family Day celebration on 19th February alongside the reopening of Festival Theatre, including areas of Festival Plaza. Family Day will include free events, activities, and workshops as well as Adelaide’s first ever Kidtrepreneur Markets, where movers and shakers can create and sell their own wares. Young stall holders (and their trusty assistant adults) can register now here.

Executive Director, Children’s Museum of the Arts, New York City, USA Seth Cameron enthused "Children’s Museum of the Arts is excited to welcome Children’s Artspace to the dialogue on children’s art, and we look forward to many fruitful collaborations between our organisations and between child artists from across the globe."

Many local schools have already signed up to be part of next year’s four exhibitions. Students will be mentored by local artists who have been specially selected and are graduates from Adelaide Central School of Art, who Children’s Artspace has a partnership with.

Ruby Chew is one of the local artists who has been working with students in years 3-7 at Hackham West School and Keller Road Primary School to create new works for the opening exhibition, titled Kaleidoscope: Playing With Colour.

The exhibition will include paintings and sculptures used to create a large mural and will encourage children to play with colour and texture through expression, new skills and fun.

Adelaide Central School of Art Chief Executive Penny Griggs advised “as a national leader in visual arts education, Adelaide Central School of Art is excited to be partnering with Adelaide Festival Centre to connect Bachelor of Visual Art graduates with South Australian schools to undertake these special artist residencies.

“I’m especially looking forward to the outcome of the residencies being exhibited in the new Children’s Artspace and giving students the opportunity to share their work with the diverse audiences at Adelaide Festival Centre.”

Supported by Adelaide Festival Centre Foundation, Children’s Artspace will be curated by Adelaide Festival Centre’s Alice Dilger who noted “with exhibitions created by, and for, the children of South Australia, Children’s Artspace will encourage creativity and expression whilst providing a safe place for discussions around big topics facing children in these challenging times.”

Adelaide Festival Centre Foundation is raising money for the Children’s Artspace project which will ensure the next generation of South Australians has an opportunity to participate in, be inspired by and fall in love with the arts.

Public donations can be made via this link: www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/support-us/childrens-artspace/

More information at www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/whats-on/childrens-artspace/

Image top and centre: Hamada Children’s Museum of Art in Japan - Supplied by Hamada Children's Museum of Art; image above: Ruby Chew with Hackham West Primary Students C-Jay, Shi Shi and Paige