The Long Beach Unified School District has so many unique opportunities for its students to showcase their talent, and the annual Norman Gottlieb Youth Art Show at the Alpert Jewish Community Center is the artist’s turn to shine.
Student artists from LBUSD middle schools and high schools are eligible to enter the competition. Each school can submit five different art pieces from pictures to sculptures and beyond, with entries judged by local professional artists.
This is the 38th annual art show after taking two years off due to COVID-19. A large selection of the winning art pieces will be displayed in the front hallway of the community center until April 1.
Former Jewish Community Center board member Norman Gottlieb created the program almost four decades ago. About five years ago, Nicole and Daniel Honigman took over as the benefactors.
“We’ve been building the fund and we continue supporting this because it’s so important,” Nicole said. “There’s no better place to do this. It’s a wonderful event and people should come check it out and support the arts in Long Beach.”
Daniel said the visibility of amateur art is what makes the event so special.
“The nice thing about it is that it’s very public,” he said. “It isn’t in some room off to the side like in some places. This is right there where people come in and see it every morning. For these kids to have stuff that is publicly visible has been really great. It’s so much fun to see them getting their pictures taken in front of their work.
“They don’t get the recognition that kids in sports and music get. But a gallery is where an artist lives, and this is where they should get their recognition.”
Below is a list of the winners, who were recognized at a ceremony last week and were given art supply gift cards as prizes.
Middle School
1st Place: Ana Sophia
2nd Place: Ella Ree
3rd Place: Cameron Aguirre
High School
1st Place: Sophia Martt
2nd Place: Grace Vazquez
3rd Place: Jayce Aguirre
See the art at the Alpert Jewish Community Center, 3801 E. Willow St.