Some of the great performing artists from around the world already have graced the Hancher Auditorium stage since its grand opening in September. On March 6, however, the new building will become a visual arts gallery filled with works created by the youth of Iowa City, Coralville, Hills, and North Liberty.

The Hancher Guild Youth Art Show, which began in 1983 and was held annually until floodwaters destroyed the original Hancher Auditorium in 2008, is making its return to the University of Iowa campus. Reinstating the longstanding tradition always was part of the plan as the new Hancher was being built.

“I missed this,” says Chuck Swanson, executive director of Hancher. “What I love about the Youth Art Show is it really is an opportunity to reach out into the community and give young people a chance to highlight their creativity. We always talk about Hancher being a resource for everyone. This is a perfect example.”

The Hancher Guild, which coordinates the Youth Art Show, is made up of nearly 400 members who volunteer for myriad responsibilities and events. Tracy Kueter, the Hancher Guild member coordinating the art show, says preparations for this year’s event began even before the building was complete.

Students from 29 ICCSD schools will have art on display. Kueter estimates there will be about 400 student works adorning the display panels that line Hancher’s main lobby.

“There is art here from kindergartners to seniors in high school. It runs the gamut,” Kueter says.

The art show will be judged by Anita Jung, professor in the UI School of Art and Art History. She will be handing out the Candy Carmichael Award for Outstanding Elementary Art—named in memory of the longtime Iowa City schools art educator—and the Hancher Award for Outstanding Secondary Art.

Jung has a unique connection to youth art and Hancher, having collaborated with seventh-graders across the state to produce the mural We All Perform, which is on permanent display in Hancher.

“From having the experience of doing that, I know how strong art education is around the state,” Jung says. “We have such great teachers.”

Two of those teachers have played a key role in helping this art show come together. Christian Aanestad and Jenny Saylor, both art teachers at Iowa City West High School, helped coordinate with their fellow art educators throughout the school district. They know that an event like this can have a big impact on the students participating.

“When the kids normally come to Hancher, they see professional performances and music and all of those other things, so this is recognized as a place of excellence,” says Aanestad, who has fond memories of participating in the Hancher Guild show as a youth himself. “When the kids see their work here and they get to say that their work is at Hancher, that is a really significant thing.”

Most of the students participating have not seen their art displayed in this way before. Given the size of the building and the quality of the displays provided by Hancher, it raises the bar for local youth art shows.

“From the displays to everything else, it all looks so amazing,” says Saylor. “It is so professional, and I think the kids will love to see their work in a venue like this.”

The setting of the Youth Art Show can play a big role in how the students perceive their own work as well, Jung notes.

“This is a great opportunity for young artists to see their work treated with the respect it deserves,” she says. “They start to understand that working hard and making things that they want to see in the world really matters. Their vision and their voice can be part of a larger conversation.”

As great as the event is for their students, it is valuable for the teachers too. Aanestad and Saylor say this is the only art show that will put them all under the same roof, giving them a chance to share ideas and see what each other’s students are capable of.

“It is so important to see what teachers are working on,” Saylor says. “We’re all trying to accomplish the same things, so it’s really valuable for us to see what everyone is doing at each level.”

It also affords teachers in the junior high and high schools an opportunity to meet some of their future students and begin forming relationships.

“There’s a sense of community that gets built with an event like this,” Aanestad says.

Swanson hopes that the event’s return to Hancher will continue to inspire the youth of the community.

“Having their art here instills pride in these kids,” he says. “It’s something important in the students developing self-esteem, taking pride in the work that they’ve done, and being able to share this with everyone.

“What a joy it is to bring this back to our community. What a joy to have these families come and be proud.”