The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE), in collaboration with Arts Ed NJ and the Art Educators of New Jersey, invites New Jersey students to participate in the Hope, Healing and Resilience through the COVID-19 Pandemic Art Showcase & Installation Project. Students are encouraged to submit one original piece of two-dimensional (2-D) art that conveys positive messages of hope, healing, and resilience. The submission window opened on October 27, 2021 and submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis through March 31, 2022.
Selected artwork will be displayed in a digital student art showcase in spring 2022. The NJDOE also looks forward to enlivening its offices and buildings with pieces exemplifying the hope, healing, and resilience of New Jersey students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NJDOE also looks forward to enlivening its offices and buildings with pieces exemplifying the hope, healing, and resilience of New Jersey students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Art allows students to express themselves during difficult times,” said Governor Murphy. “I am proud that New Jersey has 100 percent of our public schools offering arts programs and we must continue to allow students opportunities to participate in rich and engaging art projects. I cannot wait to see artwork from our talented students on display.”
“We want to elevate the voices and perspectives of our diverse and brilliant New Jersey students,” said Dr Angelica Allen-McMillan, Acting Commissioner of Education. “While many students have faced difficulties, they have overwhelmingly demonstrated resilience and we are sure that this artwork will inspire us all with feelings of hope and healing. Students are our focus and their voices must lead us.”
“This opportunity validates the importance of the arts for all students,” said Bob Morrison, Director of Arts Ed NJ. "Providing an opportunity for students to address the impact of the pandemic through their artistic expression represents the intersection of creativity and social emotional learning, a tool for healing.”
Students are encouraged to submit their artwork that conveys positive messages of hope, resilience, and perseverance through visual art. In developing their artwork, students are asked to consider the following guiding questions:
* How have I developed greater hope, healing, or resilience because of the challenges I faced during the pandemic?
* How can I use my art to convey hope, healing, or resilience for the future as I move beyond the challenges I have faced?
* How can I use art to help convey my experiences through the COVID-19 pandemic?
New Jersey students from preschool through 12th grade (ages three through 21) are eligible to submit an art piece. Artwork may be submitted by the students, guardians, or educators on their behalf. Artwork may be created in a variety of two-dimensional (2-D) media. Example media types include painting, drawing, photography, digital design, or other similar 2-D media that do not exceed one inch in depth. No more than one (1) original piece of 2-D artwork may be submitted.
The submission window opened on October 27, 2021 and submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis through March 31, 2022. Submitted artwork may have been created before this announcement, but not before March 2020.
Selected artwork will be printed and displayed throughout the NJDOE buildings and may also be displayed on a digital platform later in the school year. Not all artwork will be selected. The rubric below will be considered when selecting the artwork. The selection process will also depend on the volume of applications received. If selected, students and/or the guardians or educators who submitted the artwork on their behalf will be notified.
Arts Ed NJ (previously the New Jersey Arts Education Partnership) was established in 2007 with the mission to provide a unified voice for a diverse group of constituents who agree on the educational benefits and impact of the arts, specifically the contribution they make to student achievement and a civilized, sustainable society.
