Global Perspectives: a Celebration of Children's Art and Imagination

Abstract

The International Collection of Child Art is a resource comprised of more than 9,000 artworks created by children from 50 countries and cultures. The collection is housed and managed by Illinois State University's Milner Library as part of its Special Collections. This resource celebrates the creativity and innovative work produced by children with a global perspective. Thought provoking representations of whimsical animals, fanciful portraits, and musings on daily life provide a window for the viewer to share the often magical outlook of a child and gain a deeper understanding of a young artist's visual experience. The collection simultaneously provides a reflection of diversity and commonality as represented through the lens of visual culture. This presentation discusses the collection's origins and history, the scope and contents of the collection, use of the artwork in the academic community for educational purposes and scholarly activity, and the role this visually rich collection plays in advancing the institutional commitment to provide access to an expansive universe of creative expression. The discussion also presents information about the ongoing digitization of the artwork and the active pursuit of developing partnerships with agencies to obtain external funding and support enhanced access to the collection, primarily through digitization, but also through increased exposure of the young artists' work via traveling exhibits.