Every year, Charlotte Latin School marks the national celebration of Youth Art Month by hosting an off-campus show featuring the art of students at local independent schools: this year, the juried exhibit recognized 54 student artists from Kindergarten through fifth grade from nine area independent schools.

“It’s a really special night,” says Lower School Visual Arts Teacher Shelly Magno. “The students at our school get exposed to all the art — it inspires and encourages them.”

This year, in partnership with the Foundation for the Carolinas, the show kicked off with an opening gala in the lobby of the Carolina Theatre, repurposed as an highly polished art gallery. Students participating in the show received certificates, gift bags, and the thrill of sharing their creations with others.

Congratulations to the Lower School students who were selected by the jury and received the honor of representation in the show: first grader Roger Brown, second grader Marshall Banks, third graders Frances Thies and Anishi Goel, fourth grader Alexis Johnson, and fifth grader William Hunt.

Magno, who also touts the community-building aspects of working with other schools on Youth Art Month, cites the volunteer efforts that helped make the evening a memorable event for all the young artists. Members of the Latin Arts Association (Maureen Haggstrom, Paula DiSciullio, Anna Davis, Adele Deaton, Carolyn Stone, Marion Laubach) were joined by Upper School students Gwen Magno ’28, Anjali Rao ’27, and Jean Yang ’28. Together, they fostered young students’ curiosity about how art works in the world beyond their classrooms.

“It’s important for students and their parents to understand the importance of art and aesthetic and design,” said Lower School Visual Arts Teacher Elizabeth Faulkner. “If you’re passionate about art in elementary school, that doesn’t mean you’ll be an artist, but you’ll know that feeling of passion and you’ll apply it to whatever you do.”

Faulkner’s pithy explanation of the reason for Latin’s Youth Art Month celebration? “Art is made to be shared.”