Press Release
| << Back |
| VSA and CVS Caremark Announce 2011 All Kids Can CREATE Student Artists and Unveil National Exhibition in Washington, D.C. |
WASHINGTON, June 8, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- CVS Caremark All Kids Can, a $25 million commitment to support children with disabilities, and VSA, the international organization on arts and disability are showcasing their commitment to supporting inclusive arts education with the announcement of the 2011 All Kids Can CREATE student artists. All Kids Can CREATE is an annual national program where artwork submitted by students, ages 5-15, is selected to represent each state and the District of Columbia for a national art exhibition. This year, All Kids Can CREATE invited young artists with and without disabilities to submit a piece of artwork under the theme, "Imagination Across America." The 2011 All Kids Can CREATE national touring exhibition will feature a total of 102 pieces of artwork, representing two student artists from each state and the District of Columbia and will debut in Washington, D.C. on June 15, 2011. An expert panel of judges, including artists and art educators selected the 102 pieces of artwork out of more than 4,700 entries submitted from artists across the country. All of the artwork submitted this year, from paintings to sculptures to photographs, will be featured in an online gallery at www.artsonia.com/allkidscancreate. "For the fourth year, we are proud to collaborate with VSA on All Kids Can CREATE, the only visual arts program of its kind that showcases how students with and without disabilities learn through the arts," said Eileen Howard Boone, senior vice president, Corporate Communications and Community Relations for CVS Caremark. "This program offers a wonderful opportunity for personal expression and we hope the artwork featured in this touring exhibition drives further awareness of the positive impact arts education can have on each and every child." The All Kids Can CREATE exhibition is just one part of VSA and CVS Caremark's yearlong partnership which also includes support of state VSA affiliates that encourage learning and community engagement through artistic expression. Strategic grants at the state level also support artist-in-residence programs in schools that expand access and document learning through the arts for students with disabilities. CVS Caremark employees also participate by volunteering in activities in their communities and/or schools to help build inclusive environments. "It is clear from the thousands of submissions we receive every year for the All Kids Can CREATE program that the arts empower youth to learn and exercise their creativity," said Jennifer Wexler, VSA director of visual arts. "We're proud to partner with CVS Caremark once again to encourage inclusive arts education and provide increased public awareness of the arts in the lives and learning of young people with disabilities." The 102 student artists featured in the 2011 touring exhibition include: Alabama
CVS Caremark All Kids Can All Kids Can, a program of the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust and CVS Caremark, is a five-year, $25 million commitment to support children with disabilities. The goals of All Kids Can are to support children with disabilities by raising awareness in schools and in local communities about the importance of inclusion, creating greater opportunities for physical activity and play, and providing access to medical rehabilitation and related services. CVS Caremark and its more than 200,000 employees help children with disabilities learn, play and succeed through partnerships with leading local and national nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit http://www.cvsallkidscan.com/. VSA VSA, the international organization on arts and disability, was founded more than 35 years ago by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to provide arts and education opportunities for people living with disabilities and increase access to the arts for all. With 52 international affiliates and a network of nationwide affiliates, VSA is changing perceptions about people with disabilities around the world. Each year, 7 million people of all ages and abilities participate in VSA programs, which cover all artistic genres. VSA is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. For more information, visit http://www.vsarts.org/. Contacts: Joanne Dwyer SOURCE CVS Caremark |
Share This
