2,000 canvases, one message: Empowering youth through the Kids Inclusion Art Show

by Scott Williams

A successful community project often depends on two key ingredients: a visionary to drive it forward
and a community that’s fully engaged and supportive. Fortunately, the Kids Inclusion Art Show has both
in abundance.

The show is the brainchild of Brandy Ringelman, owner and curator of These 4 Walls gallery in Trenton
(profiled in the Spring 2022 issue of Umbrella). A few years ago, Ringelman partnered with Community
Living to create a small art show for children exploring the theme of inclusion. The following year, she
expanded the show to include high school students.

“The talent was amazing,” she recalls, “but they struggled with budget at the schools, so sometimes the
materials weren't the best. On opening night, I could see that some of the kids were feeling a little
insecure—and that bothered me. So I took two years and made that right.”

The result is a thoughtfully designed exhibition featuring “square-foot” pieces—acrylic paintings on
professional-grade 12×12 canvases—by young artists from Kindergarten through Grade 12. There are no
grades, no prizes, and nothing is for sale. “Let’s all get together to celebrate each other,” says
Ringelman, “regardless of any unique abilities or insecurities anyone might have.”

In early 2024, she invited schools in Quinte West to participate and received 480 submissions. In January
of this year, she extended the same invitation—and received over 2,000 registrations. “It’s the largest
kids’ square-foot art show I can find anywhere,” Ringelman says.

What changed? She believes it’s the lasting impression the first year left on school communities. Murray
Centennial School, for example, went from 50 student submissions in 2024 to 500 in 2025. Principal
Brandi Hollinger explains: “To be able to have these beautiful professional canvases and acrylic paints is
phenomenal. Students have an opportunity to see a skill of theirs recognized in such a meaningful way.”

Ringelman credits the show’s growth to a network of generous collaborators. “We’ve had a lot of great
community players,” she says. Jordan Barlow, manager of Napa Auto Parts in Trenton, says that
community involvement is at the heart of their participation as a venue. When store owner Percy
Barlow asked Ringelman what she needed, her answer was simple: “Money and space.” His reply? Just
as simple: “OK.” He offered both.

“It’s such a beautiful example of the community coming together,” says Hollinger. “It’s not just the
school, or the gallery, or Community Living—it’s everyone. We are raising these kids. It’s that old idea of
‘It takes a village,’ and this is a perfect example of that in action.”

The impact of the show is deeply felt. Ringelman recalls one teacher becoming emotional while
dropping off artwork. “She showed me one canvas and said, ‘You know this artist? He’s nonverbal. He
doesn’t speak. And he painted planet Earth.’” Ringelman reflects: “That student now knows he can
communicate through paint—and now we know it too. Without this show, how long might it have taken
to discover that? It might never have happened. And these are just the stories I hear—imagine how
many more there are.”

Indeed, with over 2,000 participants, the number of powerful personal stories is likely in the thousands.
Each child brings their own experiences, challenges, and abilities—but thanks to Ringelman and her
collaborators, each has had the chance to shine.

As Hollinger puts it: “It’s very impressive. It’s inspiring.”

The 2025 Kids Inclusion Art Show runs through the end of July at locations across Quinte West. For
details, visit @these4wallsgallery on Facebook.

https://quintewest.ca/event/kids-inclusion-art-show-54/

This article was previously published in the Summer 2025 Vol. 34 No. 2 issue of Umbrella.