Examples of artwork submitted by local elementary, middle and high school students.

Approximately 600 pieces of artwork created by local elementary, middle and high school students will be displayed at the Southwest School of Art and Craft’s Navarro Campus building March 19 to 24. The exhibit is part of the SHARE (Students Helping Art Reach Everyone) program, a non-profit organization dedicated to students and their art.

SHARE develops opportunities for young people to interact with and enlighten their community, thereby enriching the quality of life and celebrating the creative spirit. Each year SHARE asks San Antonio students from kindergarten through 12th grade to submit their art work. From the hundreds of submissions, 100 are chosen by a panel of jurors to be framed and hung as part of a permanent collection at a site where clients and staff will be inspired by seeing their works.

This year’s recipient of the SHARE art work is The Arc of San Antonio (TASA), which provides childcare and day habilitation to an average of 185 children and adults who suffer from severe mental disabilities including autism, Down’s syndrome, mental retardation and cerebral palsy.

Founded in 1954 by parents in need of services and support for their special needs children, TASA’s mission is to “enhance the quality of life for people with intellectual or other developmental disabilities,” said development director Cynthia Hamilton.

Part of that enhancement includes both creating and viewing art. “Art is a big part of what our clients do during the day,” Hamilton said. “It is so therapeutic, not only to do, but to look at.”

Hamilton says that the art created by TASA clients is hung on the walls of the facility and she thinks that the addition of the SHARE artwork hanging next to their own work will make the clients proud.

SHARE has been donating student artwork to local non-profit organizations for the past 18 years. TASA is the 32nd location to receive a collection. Past recipients include Mission Road Ministries, Child Advocates San Antonio, Ella Austin Early Childhood Center, San Antonio Metropolitan Ministry Center, Pediatric Clinic at the University Health Center and Bexar County Justice Center.

A special viewing of the exhibit at the Southwest School of Art and Craft will be held for students, their families and teachers from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday. After the works for the collection are selected and framed, a special ceremony will take place at TASA at 5:30 p.m. May 8 to honor the student artists.

For more information, call 820-3150 or 224-1848. To find out more about TASA, click on www.arc-sa.org.