The Power of Being Seen: Giving Children’s Artwork a Stage

How the pride of exhibiting, from the classroom to Oxo, shapes creative and personal development

Aspiring musicians share their flair on stage at performances, whilst sports teams practice for big match days. Research shows that these experiences shape how children see themselves: not just as performers and players, but as people. Young artists need the same opportunity to share their experiences with others. We’ve drawn together research from the worlds of sport and music to explore the power of art exhibitions as part of a child’s creative and personal development.

How does it feel to hold up a finished piece and say, ‘Look what I made,’ and have people take notice?

The benefits of sports matches and music recitals, in terms of child development, have been documented. However, there’s little research on the benefits awarded to children when they exhibit and share their artwork. Perhaps it’s because there are fewer opportunities for children to exhibit.

Only 1 in 5 artists get to exhibit their work in their lifetime, according to an article in Contemporary Art Issue, which drew on the Art Market Report 2025. [1]

Research on the benefits of art exists; however, it focuses on the benefits of children making art more generally. It’s hardly surprising – the lack of research alone says a lot about what needs to change:

There are few spaces where children’s art is taken seriously.

Art is being squeezed out of the school curriculum. It’s a sad yet well-established fact that’s been proven true in the research we commissioned through YouGov in May:

Only a quarter (26%) of primary teachers believe students are reaching their artistic potential within the current curriculum.

Almost one in five (18%) teachers report that they spend no time at all teaching art and design in an average week. [2]

These stats reveal an urgency with which we need to make creative children feel seen. A child’s artistic development, such as the milestone of finishing a piece, needs to be celebrated more than ever:

On big scales, like our showcase at Oxo and RA’s Young Artist Show, exhibitions act as advocacy. They tell policymakers that art matters and that it belongs in education.

Whilst on smaller scales, exhibitions remain powerful ways to recognise creative children. We need to be celebrating art in school assemblies, at “mini-exhibitions” at the end of term, and at pick-up when children hold up their pieces with pride. These quieter forms of exhibition also help children see that their subject is taken seriously, especially when it’s not being prioritised in the classroom.

Let’s delve deeper into the impact this has on creative children:

The definition of “exhibition”

By definition, exhibitions can take many forms. They are the display or demonstration of a skill. A football match is an exhibition of skills on the pitch, much like a dance performance is a showcase on stage. Due to the lack of research on art exhibitions, let’s gain more insight from the pitch!

The psychology of exhibiting

Parallels with Sports and Music: What existing research in other fields can teach us about art

Well-being and Confidence

An insightful study on children in sports helped to create a deeper understanding of the impacts of exhibiting children’s art. The study examined the relationship between children’s sports participation and emotional well-being.[3] It found that increased levels of sports participation in team games had a positive effect on emotional and behavioural well-being. In particular, the idea they had of themselves and their abilities.

Of course, sports can benefit well-being for many reasons. However, it appeared that the key factor was the ability to showcase skills in front of parents, carers, and teammates.

In our YouGov study, we found that 8 in 10 teachers (81%) agree that a better art education would enhance students’ wellbeing. [2]

Ultimately, it seems that pride comes from doing what you love. However, having our hobbies and passions recognised and celebrated with applause is hugely impactful for children. For creative children, it’s important to create a similar space for celebration through exhibitions.

In another key sports study, researchers looked at the benefits of partaking in sports within a specific context of children’s self-esteem. Again, team game participation was associated with higher self-esteem than their peers who did not partake. [4] Participation in something you love and having a goal to work towards appears to aid confidence-building.

Exhibitions encourage collaboration and create shared experiences

It’s important, upon drawing these two studies together, to think about the benefit of shared experience. An art exhibition brings together different people, as artists, in a similar way to a team game. Exhibiting gives children a chance to be part of something bigger than themselves.

An exhibition helps to transform an individual’s personal experience into a shared one. Fine art as a discipline is not inherently as public an art as acting or singing. Unlike a performance in a recital or a football match, a child’s creative development can be a more personal journey. This is in the sense that art is something that we often create as an individual. [5] For many, it’s a mindful space to discover their creativity and themselves.

That’s why, for creative children, the opportunity to work together as part of an exhibition is really important.

Taking part helps to build a self-belief that you are capable of taking part in similar situations in the future

Over in the field of music, music recitals have proven to be transformative experiences that play a pivotal role in a child’s development.[6] One study revealed that children who liked and attended music lessons had more positive feelings about their impending performances and future performances. [7] Regular lessons helped reduce stage fright by building confidence and preparing students to perform. This was because they were able to build confidence throughout the lesson time.

To link this back to art: Exhibiting and sharing artwork helps children to build confidence and reassurance to keep striving to make art. With something to work towards, and praise for doing so, children learn that art is valued.

According to the Arts and Minds campaign, participation in arts subjects at GCSE level has fallen by 42% over the last 15 years. [8]

Pursuing a career as an artist takes courage and persistence. Generally, from a psychological perspective, the crucial opportunity to share achievements and receive congratulations from others triggers positive emotions and reinforces the behaviours associated with perseverance and success.

Offering positive reinforcement not only builds confidence but also helps children feel valued and motivated to keep exploring and achieving. [9] In this respect, the opportunity to hold up a finished work at the end of a lesson and exhibit at our end-of-term exhibitions has the benefits of a spotlight on stage or a finish line. This is especially important for the children who thrive in studio environments over classroom settings.

Summary: The power of seeing children’s art in a gallery context

It’s normal for people of all ages to feel nervous about sharing their artwork, whether it’s in a classroom setting or a public exhibition. However, research has shown that the experience can have powerful benefits: building confidence, encouraging teamwork, and fostering perseverance.

Like the research that ceases to exist about it, seeing children’s art in museums is rare. The International Museum of Children’s Art in Norway is the world´s first full-scale Museum of Child Art from young artists around the world. It’s powerful to place children’s art in a museum of its own, giving it the same importance as artwork in the museums and galleries we typically visit, which display the artworks of famous painters and established artists. The Young V&A offers a parallel experience; a place dedicated to children’s experiences.

It’s time to make a stand for children’s art and their experience!

This month, we’re returning to the Oxo Gallery at the Oxo Tower on London’s South Bank for our most public celebration of student creativity yet, located on the waterfront. Just 9 minutes from the Tate, the opportunity to exhibit at the Oxo Gallery is a special opportunity for everyone involved:

Whether your child is exhibiting artwork or not, it represents all of our students and voices that they, and the subject that they are most passionate about, should be taken seriously.

We are all coming together as part of a group of artists aged 6-66+, a way to feel confident, connected, and motivated. This is in the hope of encouraging more people to reconnect with art.

It’s a message to all budding artists: Keep going!

Join us on South Bank at ‘For the Love of Art’, as we show what it means to exhibit artwork.

About ‘For the Love of Art’

For the Love of Art aims to celebrate the different approaches to making, viewing and understanding art. We’ve designed an interactive experience to encourage visitors to get hands-on. We will be exhibiting 500 pieces of original artwork and 1000 pieces of collaborative artwork during the exhibition, with live art, workshops and demos taking place on-site.

Workshops require pre-booking via our website.

Add the date to your diary to bring your friends, your family, or just your own curiosity. Come and witness what happens when creativity is nurtured, taken seriously, and shared widely!

Running: Wednesday 9th July – Sunday 27th July

Open daily: 11-5pm

The OXO Gallery, Barge House Street, London, SE1 9PH

Free to visit, everyone is welcome

Some sources of further reading and other insightful sources on the topic of taking children’s art seriously: