Children's Art Show Presented as Parking Lot Exhibition at The EPC

The Effingham Performance Center has joined area art teachers to continue an annual event in the Effingham community, although this year’s event will look a different than past events to meet social distancing guidelines.

The Effingham Art Guild’s Children’s Art Show, which is normally held at the Effingham Public Library, was canceled due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19.  However, area art teachers approached The EPC to determine if they could work together to create an art exhibition to display students’ artwork.

By using the digital sign in front of the theater, a slide show of artwork, which will include the student’s name and grade, will run on a continuous loop 24 hours a day from May 7 until the end of the month. The images from the sign can be viewed by parking in the theater’s main lot or in the overflow lot across the street from the theater.

“At a time when innovation and community support are more necessary than ever, local art educators have looked to embrace both in order to give local art students an opportunity to show off their creative talents,” said Weston Peno, the art teacher at Effingham High School.

Schools submitting artwork to be displayed in the exhibition include Effingham High School, Dieterich High School, Dieterich Grade School, Sacred Heart School, and Teutopolis High School.

Executive Director Kim Jansen of the Effingham Performance Center was quick to jump on board with this project when she was contacted by Dieterich art teacher Stacey Zerrusen with the idea.

“The Parking Lot Exhibition will be a first for us and will allow visitors to sit safely in their cars to view the gallery of art,” said Jansen. “Our mission at the theater is to showcase the arts, which includes visual arts, and what better way than to present the artwork of our Effingham County students.”

Peno thanked the EPC and the residents for their ongoing support of not only the arts, but also of the community.

“We are appreciative of those at the EPC for being such huge supporters of the arts,” said Peno.  “We thank all who are bringing the community together, as we all navigate new and uncharted territory.”

For more information about the theater and upcoming events, visit www.theepc.org.