Jamestown Arts Center will dedicate its winter galleries to an exhibition exploring how young children learn and create through play.
“Picturing Play: Playful Learning in Early Childhood” runs Jan. 31 through March 28 at the arts center, located at 18 Valley Street. The exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Rhode Island Art Education Association, features artwork and documentation from children ages birth to 6, along with materials showcasing the educators who support learning through play.
The show was developed through an open call to art educators and early childhood teachers across Rhode Island. Rather than focusing solely on finished products, submissions emphasize documentation of learning and inquiry, including two- and three-dimensional works alongside written, photographic and video materials capturing children’s questions, interactions and evolving ideas.
The exhibition positions children’s art not at the margins of contemporary practice but at its core, according to organizers. Children’s art has long influenced modern and contemporary artists by offering access to a direct, intuitive way of seeing guided by curiosity and emotion rather than formal training.
Related programming includes an opening reception and panel discussion on Jan. 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., a creative discovery workshop for ages 3 and older on Feb. 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a screening of the documentary “Reflecting on Anti-Bias Education in Action: The Early Years” on Feb. 25 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or by appointment. Admission is free.
More information is available at jamestownartcenter.org.
