A Ballarat art teacher has welcomed more support in art education to help build valuable skills and engage students over a variety of subjects.
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More students are set to be involved in the Ballarat Art Gallery's educational program, which will open up art opportunities to a wider variety of students.
"The cost is a big thing for some schools, we would not have been able to afford this, without the program," St Thomas More's art specialist Pauline Doran said.
The program helps with things like transportation to the gallery which makes the excursion more viable for schools.
"A program like this gives them the opportunity to come out of their classroom into a different environment and see how other people value art and see art by real artists," Ms Doran said.
The grade one and two students who visited the gallery on Wednesday have been learning about endangered species through the work of artist Patricia Piccinini and her Skywhales exhibition that is coming to Ballarat next month.
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The students discussed the Skywhales through reading a book, discussing different endangered species and also working on their own drawings.
"It gives the students critical thinking skills and helps them to respond to different things," Ms Doran said.
"We will also walk through the gallery and have a look at a few other things and emphasise that they can come back to the gallery."
Ballarat Gallery director Louise Tegart welcomed the $100,000 funding boost from the state government.
"We are delighted that we can increase our programming and welcome more students through the gallery," Ms Tergart said.
The gallery runs both practical art workshops and education about local indigenous culture.
Ms Tegart said the programs can cross over a wide variety of subjects like English, humanities and maths.
"We link into all parts of the curriculum, not just the visual arts," she said.
The program involves students from prep to year ten and will also expand on the VCE art and studio art program.
"Students spend a week here at the gallery learning about the different roles of the staff and then having a practical outcome of curating an exhibition," Ms Tegart said.
Wendouree MP Juliana Addison said she looks forward to seeing more students welcomed to the gallery.
"Students can express their emotions and develop their ideas," Ms Addison said.
"We know that when students embrace art, it is good for their mental health, it is good for their well being and it is good for their border learning."
Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney said it was important to engage all students, not just the ones that show an artistic inclination.
"Even if kids do not go on and pursue a visual arts career, it does actually give kids exposure to a creative environment," Cr Moloney said.
"So even if they go on to become engineers, it still inspires."
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