The seventh K-12 Art Show is on view at the Newtown Municipal Center Art Gallery and Artisans Showcase through April 18.

The public is invited to view the art weekdays between 8:30 am and 5 pm. The municipal center, at 3 Primrose Street, is also open late on days when there are meetings.

The K-12 show features more than 250 works of art from pencil sketches through ceramic bobble head dolls from the seven schools in the Newtown school district. The show has been held annually since 2017, except during the height of the pandemic when the gallery was closed.

In kindergarten through middle school art students learn about the elements and principles of design. At the high school level, they begin to specialize with Ceramics, Sculpture, Mixed Media, Painting, Drawing, Art Portfolio, and AP Art History. Students also have the opportunity to take a very popular Humanities class that brings English and Art together.

Michelle Hiscavich, district music and art department chair, noted visual art “is an essential part of a child’s overall education.

“90% of the information we receive is visual in today’s world. There is a growing body of research in the areas of neuroscience and education that indicates that a good visual arts program helps students develop cognitive skills that can be transferred to other subjects,” she added.

“This show is meant as an introduction to our program,” Ms Hiscavich said. “We are so proud of the nine art teachers who work with our students.”

Many of those teachers were at the municipal center on April 1, when the collection was put on view.

The exhibition is hosted by Newtown Cultural Arts Commission.