Educating children about the arts, and offering them access to gallery and exhibition space, has been a key component of our mission at the Morean Arts Center. Since 1997, the Morean has worked with Pinellas County schools to create Word & Image: Arts and Education Partnership. The Morean hosts four of these juried exhibits each year, including work from students at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Each year, students are challenged to create works of art based on a particular theme, and to incorporate a written statement within the piece. Past years’ themes include “I Wonder…,” “On My Block,” “Superheroes,” and “Celebrating Harmony.”

This year’s theme is What the World Needs Now.  Students were given the following prompt:

During these challenging times, hope and gratitude have become powerful resources for creative inspiration. How would you express these feelings using visual art and writing?

Limited only by their imaginations, these children’s creations are sometimes hilarious, often heartfelt, and always extraordinary.