Student artwork helps celebrate Carnegie’s 10th anniversary

Student artwork adorn lampposts along Main Street and Broadway in downtown Turlock with the theme of “10” in honor of the Carnegie Arts Center’s 10th anniversary of reopening (KRISTINA HACKER/The Journal).

Carnegie banner pic1 — Student artwork adorn lampposts along Main Street and Broadway in downtown Turlock with the theme of “10” in honor of the Carnegie Arts Center’s 10th anniversary of reopening (KRISTINA HACKER/The Journal).

The Carnegie Arts Center is celebrating its 10th anniversary season this year and to help spread the word, 18 students’ artwork is on display on banners in downtown Turlock.

Following a fire in 2005 that destroyed most of the original Carnegie building on N. Broadway, the CAC reopened its doors to the public on Sept. 10, 2011 after several years of planning and construction. For the past 10 years, the CAC has welcomed and served the community as a space to learn about and enjoy art, music, dance, theater, poetry and film – becoming a true gathering place for the sharing of ideas and experiences.

Carnegie banner pic2 — Artwork by Arabella Arias, a 6th grader at Walnut Elementary.

Part of the year-long celebration was the installation of banners on Main Street and Broadway featuring artwork created by youth. The banners all have a theme that celebrates the number 10 for the CAC’s first 10 years in its new building. Eighteen works by local students were selected from 148 entries following a month-long contest period in August.

“We were thrilled at the response to the contest and had so many creative and vibrant designs to choose from. I think everyone walking or driving through downtown Turlock will enjoy this infusion of color and fun to our streetscape,” said CAC Director Lisa McDermott.

Carnegie banner 3 — Artwork by Cove Semmens, a 1st grader at Hickman Charter School.

Each winning artwork has been printed on two banners, resulting in a total of 36 banners that were hung on the street light poles in the downtown area. The contest and banners have been sponsored by the Greenery Nursery & Garden Shop, Robic Refrigeration and the Turlock Downtown Property Owners Association.

“All of the original 148 entries for the banner contest will be kept and included in the annual Ready, Set, Show! Youth Art Exhibition in June 2022. We plan to have a special section for the banner designs that will be part of the continuing anniversary celebration,” said McDermott.