Together In Art Kids goes global

AGNSW-Jumaadi-Wedding-2019-acrylic-on-cloth-courtesy-King-Street-Gallery-and-the-artist-©-the-artistThe Art Gallery of New South Wales and media partner, the ABC, are pleased to announce the second round of Together In Art Kids, which is now inviting entries from children all over the world after the first instalment of the project drew 790 submissions from children around Australia.

Together In Art Kids is an online art project designed to inspire and support young people during this uncertain time by offering them the chance to participate in a shared creative endeavour. The project invites children aged 5 – 12 to use materials available in their home to create an artwork to a theme, which can then be photographed and submitted online.

The next round features Indonesian-Australian artist Jumaadi, who has chosen the theme Special to Me, inviting children to create an artwork of someone, something or somewhere special to them. “As children here in Australia begin to return to school, many more children around the world remain isolated from their friends and community and we are all experiencing a mix of emotions,” said Jumaadi.

“In times like these, I like to create pictures of my friends, loved ones, family – those near and far – and I like to draw from my fond memories of special places in my mind. Those things excite me to make more pictures. But more than that, they give me a kind of comfort,” he added.

Launched last month, the first instalment of the project was inspired by the theme Inner Worlds, chosen by first participating artist Del Kathryn Barton. A curated online exhibition of 25 themed artworks can be viewed now on the newly launched Together In Art website, alongside a gallery of all 790 submissions.

Art Gallery of NSW deputy director and director of collections Maud Page said she is delighted and impressed by the imagination and talent displayed by the young artists.

“Due to the tremendous positive response to the first round of Together In Art Kids in Australia, we are excited to open the second round to international entrants and to be giving children living anywhere in the world a new avenue to express themselves creatively,” said Page.

“We are thrilled to be working with multi-disciplinary artist Jumaadi to present the second iteration of this uplifting project and look forward to sharing more creative artworks with our global audience through Together In Art and on ABC platforms.”

Entries for the Special to Me theme are open until 5.00pm on Sunday 12 July and the online exhibition will launch on Monday 27 July 2020.

Together In Art Kids was the brainchild of ABC health expert and Coronacast podcast host Dr Norman Swan. “This started as an idea prompted by kids’ questions on Coronacast,” said Dr Swan. “It’s fantastic to see such an amazing and ongoing response.”

Together In Art Kids is part of Together In Art – a new social project that affirms the power of art to connect people and opens the Art Gallery of NSW to the world. For more information and to submit an entry, visit: www.togetherinart.org for details.

Image: Jumaadi, Wedding, 2019, acrylic on cloth – courtesy King Street Gallery and the artist © the artist