Student Spotlight

For Cescah Grazioli '20, growing up in Charlottesville meant growing up with Art in Place, a series of roadside sculptures strategically located to be viewed by commuters and visitors. When she found out that the program was ending with the closure of the Piedmont Council of the Arts, she knew she wasn't ready to take it over on her own but was interested in learning more about project management and the importance of art in the community.

"I talked to Mr. Taylor, who is part of the board of The Bridge, and I had this idea that I wanted to have a teen art competition. The events of August 11 and 12, 2017 is something that teenagers haven't really been able to talk about at all," explained Grazioli.

"I've been reading some of the articles and seeing it on social media and news reports, and it's always just adults. I was hearing about the city council meetings and it was adults talking. And that's great, it needs to be talked about, but teenagers grew up here so I feel like we should have a say. It's impacted us a lot, and I feel like it's something we should be able to express."

The "Through Our Eyes" competition Grazioli created with The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative is a mixed media art competition and exhibition for teenagers in Grades 9 – 12 in city and county schools, or who are in those grades as students being homeschooled.