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The 21st Annual Joanne Kerekes Student Art Show may take place in the spring, but for art teachers, the preparation begins months before the first piece is ever displayed. For South Brunswick High School art teacher Laurie Budhu, April isn’t just another page on the calendar- it marks the peak of what she calls “our very own art Super Bowl.” Over the years, she has watched the Art Show grow from a modest, budget season showcase into a major community event that now draws nearly 5,000 visitors.
The selection process for eligible pieces goes far beyond assigning grades. While many students may earn higher marks for their work, only a select few pieces are chosen for the show: those that demonstrate exceptional skill, creativity, and originality. As Ms. Budhu puts it, she looks for artwork that “hits it out of the park,” and represents the highest level of student achievement.
Organizing a section in a show of this magnitude is a huge task. Ms. Budhu describes a whirlwind of preparation. This includes mounting and labeling every piece (with Ms. Budhu having to occasionally play detective to find names on the back of the unlabeled masterpieces). Next is the “grabbing the ladder early” strategy she uses to ensure her section is done perfectly before passing it down to her colleagues, since there is limited equipment but thousands of pieces to hang. 
For her, the show is a point of pride that extends beyond her own classroom. Having grown up in a nearby district with limited art resources, she is well aware of how special South Brunswick truly is. “I think that the art show really showcases how our district really values the arts,” she says. Through her involvement in national art teacher groups, she has seen how rare it is for a district to offer such a wide variety of courses and such unwavering support from administrators like SBHS Art Supervisor Mr. Tim Sweeney and SBSD Director of Programs and Professional Development Ms. Blair Eiseman.
After two years of virtual art shows due to COVID, 2022’s return to an in-person art show was a big milestone for Ms.Budhu. The thousands of attendants ranged from local seniors to wide-eyed fourth and fifth graders on field trips. Watching them all walking through the gallery reminds her that the long hours of mounting and labeling are worth it.
To Ms. Budhu, the show isn’t just an exhibit; it is an artistic representation of the district’s heart. It is where the community can see exactly where their support goes, in the hands, minds, and futures of the students she guides every day.
