P.S. Art 2013: Celebrating the Creative Spirit of New York City Kids

This year marks the eleventh anniversary of P.S. Art, an annual exhibition of talented young artists from New York City's public schools. The selection showcases the creativity of eighty-three prekindergarten through grade 12 students from all five boroughs and includes paintings, prints, sculptures, photographs, mixed-media works, collages, and drawings. Each piece demonstrates personal expression, imaginative use of media, close observation, and an understanding of artistic processes.

This juried exhibition is also a celebration of public school achievement in the arts. Dedicated art teachers support students' creativity and help them look closely in order to respond to their worlds through art making. As students take art classes from one year to the next, they increase their understanding of art, sharpen their skills, and delve more deeply into their imaginations.

We received 800 submissions, which a panel of arts specialists from the Department of Education and Studio in a School narrowed down to 330 semifinalists. A jury of distinguished members of the New York City arts community, including staff of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, chose the seventy-eight works on display in P.S. Art 2013. This exhibition celebrates the students' journeys and discoveries from early childhood to young adulthood.

Brianna Harris and Kayla Medina (Age 9, Grade 4). Friends Forever, 2013. Acrylic on paper. School: P.S. 214, Bronx. Art Teacher: Qinqin Li

The New York City Department of Education and The Fund for Public Schools would like to thank The Metropolitan Museum of Art for generously mounting, hosting, and helping to select works for this exhibition in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education. The New York City Department of Education and The Fund for Public Schools also gratefully acknowledge The Studio in a School Association, Inc. for its sponsorship and substantial role in the coordination of P.S. Art 2013.