(New York, July 15, 2021)— P.S. Art 2021: Celebrating the Creative Spirit of New York City Kids returns to The Met for the 14th consecutive year, featuring more than 150 works of art in a variety of media created by public school students in New York City. The exhibition is free to the public and will be on view at The Met Fifth Avenue in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education through October 24, 2021.
P.S. Art 2021: Celebrating the Creative Spirit of New York City Kids is a project of the New York City Department of Education and Studio in a School NYC.
"The Met has very proudly exhibited the work of New York City's public school students every year for 14 years, even in 2020, just as The Met reopened after being closed for more than five months due to the pandemic—P.S. Art has always been an important display of this city's incredible creativity and spirit," said Heidi Holder, Frederick P. and Sandra P. Rose Chair of Education. "Through this exhibition, we see astounding self-expression, critical and inspiring cultural perspectives, and immense talent and imagination."
The 152 artworks in this year's exhibition represent students ranging from prekindergarten through 12th grade in public schools throughout the five boroughs, and the presentation also includes works from District 75, which serves students with disabilities citywide. P.S. Art highlights the talent and creativity of these young artists and champions art making as a way to appreciate the cultures, life experiences, and traditions across the city. This exhibition and accompanying student statements are a testament to the resilience of teachers and students working in remote, onsite, and hybrid learning environments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The works were chosen from 289 semifinalists and almost 800 submissions, and the final decisions were made in virtual meetings by a jury comprised of distinguished members of the arts community, including members of The Met staff.
Meisha Porter, Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, said, “In this exhibition, the students’ words as well as their artwork demonstrate the importance of arts education in providing venues for communication, exploration, and self-expression. P.S. Art is evidence of the commitment of the New York City Department of Education to provide quality arts education for the city’s public school students. It also signifies the value we place on collaborating with arts organizations and cultural institutions. I wish to thank Studio in a School NYC and The Metropolitan Museum of Art for being such fine partners with the NYCDOE.”
Alison Scott-Williams, President, Studio in a School NYC, LLC, commented: “P.S. Art 2021 stands out for the way in which it both reflects and responds to the unique circumstances of our times. It was moving to see how many artworks directly addressed current events, including the pandemic, the call for racial justice, and global warming. During this pandemic, our schools made space for young people to express themselves with unflinching candor, and art education teaches our students to explore and celebrate what matters most. To see artworks that reveal seemingly boundless joy and beauty reminds us that art is a powerful tool of resilience and that creative activity enables us to imagine a brighter future for ourselves, our students, and our communities. Studio in a School NYC is thrilled to continue this longstanding partnership with the New York City Department of Education and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is a special honor to have supported this year’s truly exceptional exhibition.”
The Met provides admission passes to the Museum to all student artists represented in the exhibition to encourage them to return frequently during the course of the show.
The P.S. Art exhibition is just one of the many ways in which the Museum fosters the creativity and education of New York City students. This past school year, The Met provided free virtual field trips to more than 16,000 New York City public school students, and more than 1,000 New York City public school teachers and administrators participated in professional development workshops through the Museum.
All works in the exhibition will also be featured on The Met’s website, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using the hashtag #PSArt2021. The full catalogue can be viewed on the Studio in a School NYC website.
This year, due to ongoing restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the exhibition will present a small selection of reproductions of students’ work.
About The Met’s Reopening
The Metropolitan Museum of Art reopened its Fifth Avenue location on August 29, 2020, after more than five months of closure due to the pandemic, with The Met Cloisters following on September 12, 2020. Since then, The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters have been open five days a week, Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Met has developed comprehensive safety procedures for its staff and visitors, following guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State, and New York City. More information on what visitors can expect is available here, or visit metmuseum.org.
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July 15, 2021
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