Art by Surrey Elementary Students

This annual display of artworks by local school students is a long-running highlight of Surrey Art Gallery’s exhibition program. Since 1983, the exhibition has showcased some of the finest work made by young artists from across the Surrey School District, the largest in the Province of British Columbia. 

This year, 51 students from across 17 different elementary schools were selected to show their art at the Gallery. Through the support and guidance of their teachers, each student was asked to share their artistic vision and creative skills. Class exercises explore the breadth of artmaking across historical, experimental, and technical perspectives, encouraging students to both understand visual expression throughout the world and to find their own creative voice. 

Over the course of the exhibition, Surrey Art Gallery, in conjunction with the School District, will release a series of short videos on their YouTube channel. The videos will feature the voices of both teachers and students speaking in further detail about selected artworks as well as the importance of art education. 

Artworks on display capture the themes and subjects that interest children today. Some work celebrates the things that they love, such as animals, nature, food, and fashion. Other works speak to broader anxieties and social issues: judgment from others, systemic racism, and war.  

Art by Elementary Students is not only a display of artworks, but also a view into art education today. Through their nurturing, teachers encourage students to relate to the world around them through artmaking. In a world that seems increasingly uncertain, art allows young children to exercise their own agency and think through difficult ideas. 

Origin of Exhibition: Surrey School District