Smith House Galleries Opens Exhibition by RCPS Students March 7

HARRISONBURG, VA – Arts Council of the Valley (ACV) is thrilled to announce the ninth annual artVISION: Rockingham County Public Schools Youth Art Month Show. This exhibition opens at Smith House Galleries March 7, during First Fridays of the Valley, with a 5-7 pm reception. Visit the reception to explore 100 works of art by students in RCPS, meet their wonderful art teachers, and sample light refreshments.

The artVISION exhibition, made possible with support from Rockingham County and Rockingham Educational Foundation, Inc., is installed through March 28, with in-person visits Monday-Friday, 11 am to 4 pm. The galleries will also be open Second Saturday (March 8) from 10 am to 2 pm. Additionally, three virtual albums featuring elementary, middle, and high school artwork from the exhibition will be available in early March at valleyarts.org/current-exhibition.

Becky Ford, RCPS Supervisor of Fine Arts, coordinated the exhibition of works by 100 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

“We’re excited to exhibit artwork from Rockingham County Public Schools at Smith House Galleries again during Youth Art Month,” Ford said. “This is a great opportunity for members of the community to see and appreciate the creativity of RCPS students.”

Ford extended gratitude toward RCPS art teachers for their diligent work in bringing this 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 located at 311 South Main Street in Downtown Harrisonburg, Virginia. Programs are supported in part by ACV 25th Anniversary Presenting Sponsor Kathy Moran Wealth Group, and 25th Anniversary Visionary Sponsor Riner Rentals.

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 it was established in 2000, ACV has grown into a multi-faceted community organization that fosters innovative partnerships among area businesses, civic organizations, schools, and artists. Today, ACV manages Court Square Theater and Smith House Galleries, funds local art projects through its Advancing the Arts grant program (awarding more than $510,200 since 2001), supports public art initiatives, and coordinates monthly First Fridays of the Valley community gatherings.

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. To learn more, visit valleyarts.org.

This press release was provided by Martha Hemingway at Arts Council of the Valley.