Walk into the lobby of the Boll Family YMCA in downtown Detroit, and you’ll see gorgeous, creative pieces of art brightening the lobby, complete with placards explaining the work. Ceramics, drawings, and multimedia paintings are all included. And the exhibit opening was a must-do social event.
Another incredible gathering of community talent from Y-Arts? Not this time. This exhibit is an annual art show put on by the talented teachers and children from the Y Child Development Center.
Child Development Center director Wendy Lehman explains that each class, from the babies up to the biggest 4- and 5-year-olds, creates a project together using a gallery-size canvas. For the little ones it could be something as simple as their handprints forming the leaves of a tree; for the bigger kids, they may each contribute their own drawing to the canvas. The canvases are then displayed at the annual exhibit opening night, and parents bid on them in a silent auction. The event is one of the highlights of the year for the families and something everyone looks forward to. “It’s the parents’ favorite activity,” Wendy says.
This year, the auction raised more than $500, which goes back to the Child Development Center to fund more projects.
In addition to the class projects, the children work on their own artwork to be exhibited during the show. Three projects, two flat pieces (such as paintings) and one three-dimensional piece go on display. Teachers make placards explaining how each project fits into the theme of the show (this year’s theme was “Seasons”) and the curriculum at the center.
“Our basis is process art, which is an educational avenue focusing on the process rather than the end product,” Wendy says.
The exhibit stays in the busy Boll lobby for a month, and serves both to brighten up the space and to let the community know about the Child Development Center. Any parent who lives or works downtown knows that high-quality, affordable daycare that’s conveniently located is hard to find, and getting the word out about the Y’s program is important for working parents. “To us, it’s really nice art and nice that it’s there for people to see when they walk by,” Wendy says.
The art itself wasn’t the only fundraiser at the exhibit opening this year. Children in the pre-kindergarten class held a bake sale and raised money for the Almost Home animal shelter. Photos of each child’s favorite pet from the shelter now decorate their classroom, so the children can see a daily reminder of the impact their work had. Not only do children get so much from their time at the Y, they learn to give something back to causes they believe in.