Young artists Flourish at Fitton

Hamilton, Ohio – The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hamilton take over the walls of the Fitton Center with its new art exhibition.

Artists ages 6 to 12 fill the Community Gallery with Flourish, beginning with a FREE gallery-opening celebration from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, January 16.

Young artists invite guests to step into a world of imagination and creativity brought to life by Club creators participating in the Fitton Center’s outreach programming.

Fitton Center assistant director of education and outreach Caroline Digiovenale said displaying the work of Club artists in a legitimate gallery lends gravitas to their work.

“It’s important to us because it is important for the kids,” she said. “Having their art displayed in a gallery gives them a sense of pride, a place they can bring their parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends, and show what they have been working on for months.”

Digiovenale said Boys & Girls Clubs art instructor Jen Hobbs rotates between four locations – East, Grand, Highland and Linden – spending two hours a day with each Club for a week at a time, Monday through Thursday.

Flourish marks the third annual Boys & Girls Club exhibition at the Fitton Center. Last year’s Color Outside the Lines exhibition featured 32 pieces culled from about 200 area young people involved in arts outreach through the Clubs in partnership with the Fitton Center.

For the second year in a row, pieces from this exhibition could appear in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Arts Competition later this year.

According to their website, “At Boys & Girls Clubs of Hamilton, the arts are more than just an activity. They are a pathway for self-expression, exploration and emotional growth. Our members engage in a wide range of creative experiences that inspire imagination, build skills and nurture identity.”

The Flourish gallery opening runs in conjunction with the Fitton Family Fridays performance of Cap’n Kraken’s Yo Ho Ho Pirate Show at 7:30 p.m. While the exhibition is free, tickets to the show are $9 for Fitton Center members, $11 for non-members, and are available online right here, by phone at 513-863-8873, ext. 110 or in person at the Fitton Center box office.

The Flourish exhibition remains on view through Friday, February 6. Fitton Center galleries are always FREE and open to the public 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays, during weekend performance events and by appointment.

The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is located at 101 S. Monument Avenue on the Riverfront in downtown Hamilton, Ohio.

Building Community Excellence through the Arts and Culture