Art Uplifts Exhibit Returns to Post Falls, Celebrating Healing Through Creative Expression

With three days left on the submission clock, artists across Kootenai County have until April 10 to enter the fifth annual Art Uplifts exhibit at the Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center in Post Falls, a show built entirely around the healing power of creative expression.

The exhibit opens April 16 with a free public reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at the JACC, located at 405 N. William St. Refreshments will be served, and the show runs through May 16.

Organized around the motto "No matter the struggle, situation or journey, art can uplift us," Art Uplifts invites artists of all media and experience levels to submit work, particularly those who have relied on creative expression to navigate recovery, grief, illness, diagnosis or other life transitions. Each artist may submit up to two pieces at no charge.

The exhibit honors Jimmy Magnuson, a local musician and artist who died in May 2021. His contributions to the regional creative community inspired the program's founding, and each annual edition at the JACC has carried forward that connection between artistic practice and collective healing.

Last year's show drew more than 50 artists, reflecting both the breadth of the community the program reaches and the range of work it accepts. Among past contributors is April Robinson, whose glass-on-glass mosaic "Seascape" illustrates the variety of media the show welcomes, from visual and textile pieces to sculptural work and beyond.

By centering art made in the context of personal hardship, the JACC creates an accessible entry point for audiences who may not typically visit gallery spaces, while giving artists a visible public platform for work that often carries significant emotional weight.

Artists can call the JACC at 208-457-8950 or use the center's online submission form. The April 10 deadline applies to all entries.