Press Release: Art Proves Theraputic For Area Children and Teens

Jun 7, 2010 - Art Proves Theraputic For Area Children and Teens

Exhibition at Children’s Museum Provides Outlet for Kids with Emotional Disabilities

“My artwork inspires you to be who ever you are” – a feeling all artists can relate to, but made all the more powerful when uttered by 11-year-old Shakira, who is struggling with serious emotional challenges. Shakira is one of nearly 40 young artists, ages 6-17, whose work is included in the Third Annual Art Expressions for Kids Exhibit at the Long Island Children’s Museum. The month long exhibition gives children filled with emotion a creative outlet to share their feelings, interests and aspirations.

The artists participating in the Third Annual Art Expressions for Kids exhibition are children and adolescents who receive treatment/services for emotional issues through various Nassau County agencies. Artists from across Long Island are featured in the exhibit.

This year’s theme is cupcakes – a nod to LICM’s annual Cupcakes & Cockails fundraising gala. The exhibition served as a vibrant addition the night of the gala and illustrates the Museum’s commitment to community access programs which the evening supports. Sponsored by the Nassau County Department of Mental Health, Chemical Dependency and Developmental Disabilities Services, the exhibition promotes self-esteem in the artists and provides a public forum for family and loved ones to express pride in their accomplishments. A reception for the artists and their families will be held on Friday, June 25 from 2-4 p.m.

Art Expressions for Kids will be on display in the LICM Community Gallery through June 30. The Community Gallery was established at the Children’s Museum as a space devoted to the stories that live within the community. “At the Children’s Museum we believe that there is a vital need for public spaces to exhibit the creative works of our neighbors, especially children” explains LICM Executive Director Suzanne LeBlanc. “Providing these young artists with the opportunity to see that their feelings and expressions are not only being acknowledged, but celebrated, is a powerful message for them to receive.”

About the Long Island Children’s Museum

Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM) invites visitors of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to explore freely, discover their passions, and appreciate the communities and world we share. Through interdisciplinary activities, children and adults can share in the excitement of the learning process. The museum is designed for infants through 12 and their grown-ups. LICM is a private, not-for-profit institution chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.
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