Celebration of Youth XXIII: A Harvest of Creatives

Monday, September 26, 2016 to Saturday, October 15, 2016

“Celebration of Youth XXIII: A Harvest of Creatives” opens on September 26th and continues on exhibition at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery through October 15th. A public reception honoring the artists and their families will take place on Saturday, October 15^th in Room 11 of the Human Sciences Building on east campus, beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Each year, youth from around the state compete at the Nebraska State Fair in the 4-H areas of Clothing, Home Environment, and Quilt Quest. Each year we spotlight the prize winners in these categories, and each year the Hillestad gallery audiences are wow’d by the creativity, invention and craftsmanship on display. This year’s twenty-third iteration of the show once again brings to campus some of the most engaging and imaginative expressions from a broad cross-section of Nebraska’s talented young people.

In Nebraska, one in three age-eligible youth across all 93 counties is enrolled in 4-H, for a total enrollment reaching approximately 140,000 youth. These youth, ages 5-18, participate in 4-H through camps, clubs, school enrichment, and afterschool programs organized by Nebraska Extension. The citizens of Nebraska help shape the 4-H Youth Development program priorities including but not limited to college and career readiness, community development, entrepreneurship, healthy living and leadership development. Nebraska 4-H educational programs like the Quilt Quest, Home Environment and Clothing curricula represented in this exhibition, place strong emphasis on key life skills including critical thinking, problem solving, social skills, communication, responsibility, citizenship, and leadership.

The Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery is part of the Department of Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design in the College of Education and Human Sciences. The gallery is located on the second floor of the Human Sciences Building on East Campus, on 35th Street north of East Campus Loop (map at http://go.unl.edu/j5v). Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday and by appointment. Admission is free. Guest parking is available near the building and metered stalls are located in the Nebraska East Union lot. For more information, call (402) 472-2911 or visit http://textilegallery.unl.edu.