The Longwood Center for the Visual Arts (LCVA) is set to present its annual “Start with Art, Learn for Life: The Annual Area Youth Art Exhibition” and “Take a Closer Look: Photographs from ART Kids” with an opening reception on Sunday from 2-4 p.m. at the LCVA.

“Friends, family and community members are invited to the reception, which is free and open to the public. The works will remain on view in LCVA’s Lower Level until March 26. LCVA would like to thank the very generous support of Southside Electric Cooperative, the Walter J. Payne Foundation, the TR June H. Guthrie Trust and the Rock Foundation for helping to make this exhibition possible for the students,” LCVA officials said in a press release.

“This is the 16th year the LCVA has organized and hosted the largest youth art exhibition in the commonwealth of Virginia. This year’s exhibition includes works by over 2,000 pre-K to (12th-grade) students from 44 public, private and home schools in 12 counties with the efforts of 50 art teachers,” officials said. “Participating counties include Albemarle, Amelia, Appomattox, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Goochland, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Powhatan and Prince Edward.”

“Take a Closer Look: Photographs from ART Kids” features artwork created by the talented fourth-grade grade students in the LCVA’s ART Kids program, officials said.

ART Kids is a collaborative program between the LCVA, Prince Edward County Elementary School and Cumberland Elementary School.

Lead by photography teacher Alex Grabiec, 11 student artists from Prince Edward County Elementary School and seven student artists from Cumberland Elementary School meet each week to learn about photography and how to express themselves through art.

“There will also be a special installation in the Main Street Gallery, Monty Mania, featuring the work of the students at Prince Edward County Elementary School,” officials said in the release.

The following teachers have assisted by preparing and submitting their students’ work for the 2017 exhibition: Jennifer Abruzzo (Buckingham County High School), Jes Bailey (Eureka Elementary School),  Jennifer Baker (Five County Home Schooler), Yakima Bokoles (Appomattox Christian Academy, Upper and Lower School).  Katy Clarke (Bacon District Elementary and Phenix Elementary School), Dennis Cooper (Amelia Academy),  Kim Dalton (Byrd Elementary School),  Danielle Davis (Central Virginia Christian Academy), Cassie Duarte (Central High School), Cindy Edmonds (Randolph Elementary School),  Carol Edmonson (Prince Edward County Elementary School), Madeline Faw (Buckingham County Elementary School),  Carley Fetty (Prince Edward County Middle School),  Sherri Fisher (Five County Home School), Jessi Fleisher (Lunenburg Middle School), Alex Grabiec (Prince Edward County Elementary School – Art Kids Program and Cumberland County Elementary School – Art Kids Program),  David Brandon Hennessey (Prince Edward County High School), Stephanie Hall (Five County Home School),  Penny Hare (LaCrosse Elementary School), Amanda Herring (Burkeville Elementary School and Crewe Primary School), Patricia Herring (Nottoway County Middle School),  Helen Hertzler (Five County Home School),  Elaina Hunnicutt (Goochland High School),  Allison Jones (Kenston Forest School), Erin Jones (Five County Home School), Liz Jones (Broadus Wood Elementary School and Scottsville Elementary School) Ronda Jones (Cumberland County Middle School),  Kellen Keys (Pocahontas Middle School), Happy Krickovic (Goochland Middle School),  Jean Kunath (Central High School),  Forest Layne (Fuqua School, Upper and Lower School), Claudia McMillan (Randolph-Henry High School),  Laura Moser (Five County Home School), Alyson Napier (Nottoway County High School),  Emily Overstreet (Cumberland County Elementary School), Mindy Pierson (Buckingham County Preschool),  Connie Queensberry (Central Middle School),  Deborah Quinn (Blackstone Primary School),  Lisa Reid-Miller (Pocahontas Middle School),  Emily Reynolds (Buckingham County Primary School), Steve Rhodes (Five County Home School),  Janice Stanley (Cumberland County High School), Carla Terry (Amelia County Middle School),  Joy Utzinger (Prince Edward County Elementary School), Annelise Ware (Goochland Elementary School), Mary Webster (Powhatan Elementary School), Deborah Wilkinson Ford (Amelia County High School), Stephanie Wirt (Powhatan High School), Candace Yoder (Central Virginia Christian Academy) and Valerie York (Appomattox Primary School).