Because it's Fun

"Cat Tree" by Camille McGowan

Because it's Fun is a pop-up exhibition of artwork created by third- through sixth-graders from Near West Intergenerational School in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood. The exhibition will be on view February 11–13 in the Cleveland Institute of Art's Donna and Stewart Kohl Corridor.

Because it's Fun reflects the spectrum of work created by NWIS students from October 2021 to February 2022. They worked with found-object artist and ceramicist Megan Young, a 2020 CIA alum, on a variety of projects. They included abstract compositions with scraps of fabric, self-portraits made with collaged paper, collaborative assemblages created with found objects, wall-hanging structures made of clay. Nathan Manthey, a 2016 CIA alum and full-time NWIS art teacher, provided tremendous classroom support during this program.

The work created for Because it's Fun was made possible by the TeachArtsOhio grant award from the Ohio Arts Council, and Young's NWIS residency was made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council. The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.

All CIA visitors are required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination upon entering CIA, effective January 4, 2022. They also will undergo a brief health-assessment screening and be required to wear a mask at all times. Learn more about what to expect by reading the Vaccination Requirement: Visitors to CIA section at cia.edu/covid.

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