Youth Art Month is celebrated annually in March.

Celebrate by collecting and displaying student artwork throughout the month. Students, their adults, and the community at large will love seeing the artwork displayed. It's an easy way to promote and celebrate art. Consider hosting an art show to display student artwork and/or join an organized exhibition. 

Share your events, photos, or ask questions: Elise Pelletier, Youth Art Month Chairperson

For information on Maine Art Education Association opportunities to display student artwork, click on the image links below. ​

2023 Youth Art Month flag

​Sponsored by the National Art Education Association (NAEA) and the National Council For Art Education (CFAE), the Maine Art Education Association Art Educator of the Year is tasked with the creation of the flag that will represent the State of Maine at the National Convention.  

Youth Art Month Coordinators and Chairpersons tasked Matthew Johnson, 2023 MAEA Art Educator of the Year, to create a flag for the 2023 Youth Art Month Museum at the NAEA exhibit in San Antonio, TX, this April.  Feel free to use the image below to promote outstanding art education as we enter the 2023 Youth Art Month and you promote your local and MAEA events this March!   

As you gear up for this year's Youth Art Month (YAM), please enjoy reading the history of this year's State of Maine YAM flag creation: 

This year when I was tasked with working with students to develop this year's Youth Art Month Flag, I faced a unique challenge. Nearly all of my courses being taught were sculpture aside from an advanced placement studio art and yearbook class. Though I think many would have attempted to take it on, I did not want to burden my AP students with the task with the little time they have left for their portfolio submissions. Sculpture was not really the appropriate avenue either and most of my yearbook students lacked the ability or were already in my AP art course. So, I decided to approach the flag design a little unconventionally; I collaborated with all of my yearbook students to come up with the design. We approached it the same way we did for the cover and end sheet design of our book. Each student offered input into the design, offered feedback, or suggested alterations to come up with the design. They even chose to use the same font for the flag design as we used for our headline font in the yearbook. So the design is not the idea of one student but the idea of nine. This is why we chose to change the slogan to "Our Art Our Voice" instead of the singular of "My." We were proud of the design and are humbled to have this hang next to the other YAM flags in San Antonio in April.
- Matthew Johnson