Project Postcard is a new, inclusive community art program for middle and high school students to participate in a mail art exhibition. The project is closely aligned with Visual Art Exchange’s mission to encourage new ideas, collaboration and experimental mediums and an extension of its innovative educational programs for young artists.

In today’s culture we so rarely mail things. This project will encourage students to think about the ways in which we communicate our creative ideas as well as see how artists can work together to create a large scale installation with a variety of styles, voices and messages.

To ensure every student can participate, any teacher, student or parent can request a package of postcards through an easy, online form. VAE will then send out a package of postcards and stamps. The students will then use the postcards as a base for their creative ideas, staying within mailing guidelines and mail the postcards back for display in storefront windows of arts venues in Downtown Raleigh during First Friday May 6.

A secondary goal of the project is to help students and their families experience the energy of First Friday and downtown Raleigh’s creative scene! It is an inspiring way to see all the people who support the arts and explore the many venues dedicated to exhibiting art in Raleigh. To make sure everyone experiences the big picture of the event, we have designed the project to be exhibited in different venues that are easily walkable, but will direct people to more than one gallery.

VAE expects to receive and display at least 700 of those cards and has secured three venues in the Warehouse District. VAE staff will create maps that will allow participants to navigate First Friday, find their artwork, and enjoy multiple venues and additional exhibitions. The postcards will be on view downtown for one weekend and VAE is working on other venues to display the project in the future as a more permanent installation.