March is Youth Arts Month (YAM)

 The 2^nd annual RPS Fine Arts Festival took place at Huguenot High School on March 18, 2017 from 10am-4pm.  Over 1000 pieces of art were on display from most of our Elementary, Middle & High Schools.  Select student art work was displayed in hallways on our wonderful exhibit boards made and donated by Hands on Richmond and The Community Foundation.  Performing arts from several of our schools also took place throughout the day.  Our Elementary All-City Band, Chorus, Strings & Harps performed.  The All-City Marching band also gave a big performance in the foyer of Huguenot HS.  The performances were from 10am -4pm in the auditorium, the forum and in the cafeteria.   There were theatrical productions, dance performances and other great performances from over 500 of our talented RPS students.  Teachers have been hard at work with painting the exhibit doors and matting work to be displayed.  It was another great day for the arts in Richmond Public Schools.  This event was Free and open to the community for all to see over 1000 pieces of student art in grades K-12 and almost 500 students performing in music, theater and dance.

In addition to our Fine Arts Festival and it being Arts in our Schools month, we currently have 45 pieces of RPS student art on display at the YAM (Youth Art Month) regional exhibit at SunTrust.  Many of our schools have art exhibits throughout the city in local libraries.  The month of March allows students throughout the region to showcase the hard work of students and teachers.  Additionally, 45 pieces of RPS student art are on display at VCU in the education building for the remainder of the school year. 

 Our theme this year was:
Sharing our Story and Showing our Creativity.

The artwork below is by 11^th grader at John Marshall High School- Simone DeSalle

Artwork Participants:                                                             Performing Arts Participants:

Blackwell                                                                                 RPS All-City Beginning Harps

Broad Rock                                                                              RPS All-City Jazz Band

Chimborazo                                                                             RPS All-City Elementary Band

E.S.H Greene                                                                           RPS All-City Elementary Strings

Redd                                                                                       RPS All-City Elementary Chorus        

Fairfield                                                                                   RPS Intermediate Harps

Reid                                                                                        Huguenot High School Theater

George Mason                                                                          Elkhardt/Thompson Chorus

Ginter Park                                                                              Binford Middle School Dance Company

Fisher                                                                                      RPS All-City Marching Band

Stuart                                                                                      Franklin Military Guitar Ensemble

Francis

Cary

Holton

Munford

Miles Jones

Oak Grove

Overby Sheppard

Southampton

Westover Hills

William Fox

Woodville

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The Visual Arts Department of Richmond Public Schools offers progressive learning in the Arts for students in grades K-12.  RPS offers a plethora of options for students.  We offer the Visual Arts, Band, Orchestra, Harp, Chorus, Dance, Theater, and Guitar.  Participation in the Arts helps students acquire the ability to solve problems creatively, think critically, and to understand the social, cultural, and historical context of the arts.  Studying in the area of Fine Arts teaches history, provides opportunities and allows students to articulate thoughts and ideas through artistic expression.

“The arts are not just a nice thing to have or to do if there is free time or if one can afford it. Rather, paintings and poetry, music and fashion, design and dialogue, they all define who we are as a people and provide an account of our history for the next generation.”  --- Michelle Obama