MARION — The Marion Art Center has created a new YoungArtist program in collaboration with local high schools in support of student artists.

The MAC developed the YA program with input and advice from community arts educators with the goal of encouraging young artists and offering them resources for creating and exhibiting their art.

“Our YA program is a way to offer student artists an expanded community of support during the pandemic and beyond it. We hope to make a meaningful difference in the trajectories of young artists,”  president of the MAC Board of Directors Jennifer Wolfe Webb said.

Joanne Mogilnicki, an educator at Old Rochester High School, commented “I am so very excited that we have started this collaboration…What a fantastic opportunity for our young artists.”

The program features: A continuing online student art exhibit on the MAC website, currently “Finding and Creating Culture in a Cup” by Old Rochester Regional High School students and “The Distance Experience” by Tabor Academy students; rotating student artworks on display at the MAC in a dedicated location on site; a student art exhibit in the MAC galleries in early 2021; free time for student artists to work in the MAC studio; a mentor program that pairs professional artists with young artists; Emerging Artist Labs, a hands-on workshop series on topics such as installing an exhibit; small group tours of MAC exhibits led by its executive director and/or exhibiting artists; a MAC student membership for students ages 14-22 with full MAC member benefits for $25.

The MAC YA program will be ramping up this fall as students return to school, and some aspects of the program are already underway

“I’m currently communicating with a new MAC student member so that he can schedule MAC Studio time. He hopes to work on building his art portfolio for his college applications,” MAC Executive Director, Jodi Stevens said in the release.

For more information about the Young Artist program at the MAC, visit marionartcenter.org/yap. Contact the MAC by calling 508-748-1266 or by emailing info@marionartcenter.org.