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Twelve high schools from across the Coachella Valley from Palm Springs to Thermal will partake in the Young Artists Exhibition, sponsored by the Artists Council, a nonprofit organization that strives to elevate artists through community engagement, professional development and exhibitions.
The event, falling under the theme “Dreams/Sueños,” runs April 24 through May 12 at the Artists Center at the Galen in Palm Desert. It’s just one of many standout components of the Artists Council, which has been promoting art and artists across the valley for more than six years.
“This exhibition is unique in that it allows the students to experience what it’s really like to participate in a professional art exhibition,” says Annie Reutinger, executive manager of the Artists Council. “You get juried into it and the artwork presentation is given a totally professional look.”
Students and their families will be invited to the art opening with the Galen hosting a small reception.
“We’re also working with some of the teachers to arrange for buses for field trips at other times, so other students can come and see the artwork of their fellow students,” Reutinger says. “We’re very excited because this gives young artists a taste of what it’s like to be an artist, what it’s like to exhibit in a beautiful setting and to have professional recognition for their work. And to see their name on the wall.”
The annual exhibition was given a monetary boost thanks to a recent grant from the California Creative Corps Fund through the Inland Empire Community Foundation.
“The grant helped us underwrite the exhibition, which is now in its third year at the Artists Council,” Reutinger says. “We’re also using some of the money for translations, so all of the labels will be in both Spanish and English, and we’ll have Spanish interpreters at our reception for the families because many of these students are coming from Indio and Thermal and Coachella Valley area high schools, where there is a large Hispanic population.”
To be sure, the Artists Council has been a prominent force in the Coachella Valley for more than 50 years. Originally part of the Palm Springs Art Museum, about five years ago, it spun off the organization’s many councils.
It maintains an active program consisting of exhibitions, workshops, lectures, salons, critiques, gatherings and art and business-of-art classes. The group, which began with 250 members, now boasts 650 loyal creatives.
“We’re not just a group of artists,” Reutinger says. “We are also committed to supporting our community. We’re trying to do more community outreach programs, such as the Young Artists Exhibition, but we also have a class for Alzheimer’s patients twice a month, and we are becoming more involved and inclusive of our community so that we’re more than just a showcase for artists to exhibit their work.”
Looking ahead, art aficionados can experience two additional exhibitions later this spring, one involving sculptures and a 3D exhibition. A June exhibition, called “Fun and Games,” allows artists to enter their work in various mediums.
Reutinger admits her passion for the nonprofit and its impact is strong.
“I love art and all ways to express yourself,” she says. “This particular group has artists of all media, not just painting or acrylics. There are photographers, there are sculptors. We also have a gift shop that has jewelry, weaving, and other glass pieces that some of our artists make.
“I truly like being part of the arts community because art is a wonderful outlet for many people to express themselves and it enriches our lives,” she adds. “I’m not an artist myself, but I love to be surrounded by art.”
Learn more about the Artists Council at artistscouncil.com.
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