Young Creatives Program to put student artwork on billboards

Ten works of art from Lansing area high school students will be given billboard treatment this spring.

“It’s a very exciting thing for kids, being able to see their works really really big, ” said Deborah Mikula, executive director of the Arts Council of Greater Lansing.

The 10 pieces, along with 15 others, will be displayed as part of the “Young Creatives Art Exhibition.” It will be hosted by the Arts Council of Greater Lansing through March, this year marking the fifth time they’ve done so.

Art exhibitions are just one of the components of the Arts Council of Greater Lansing’s Young Creatives Program.

The program also provides scholarships to children who need financial help to attend art classes around the area.

“About six or seven years ago, the Lansing School District actually eliminated all of their art specialists,” Mikula said.

Since then, the council started the campaign to support young creatives and to demonstrate the importance of art education for students.

Works being displayed on the billboards will include the creators’ names, school and grade. Most of the billboards will be located in Lansing, while some of them will dot different locations in the Tri-County area, including Haslett, Jackson and Charlotte.

The inspiration behind the Young Creatives Billboard Project comes from a similar project for adult artists, called “Art in the Sky.” The primary difference is that the adult artists have to pay for the billboard themselves.

“These kids have talent, and we’re hoping that they never lose the dream of using their creativity for the rest of their lives,” Mikula said. “They may not make a career out of being an artist, but there are a lot of creative jobs out there, and we love to bring them in front of them.”

Makela Rodgers, a 17-year-old student from East Lansing High School, has her first exhibited piece on display at the Young Creatives Art Exhibition. It’s a watercolor portrait of her friend.

“I told her I would draw one of her favorite senior portraits,” Rodgers said. “I’ve been interested in arts since elementary school, but I just recently got more into it this year, because I’m taking AP Studio Art at my school.”

Five-year-old Krystyanna Breshears is one of the youngest participant of the exhibition. She made her artwork in her class. “I think it looks good,” Breshears said.

“Young Creatives Art Exhibition”

Arts Council of Greater Lansing 1208 Turner St., Lansing Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free www.lansingarts.org