Exposures, Leelanau County’s annual student journal of writing and art, is set to debut next month.
This year, a total of 175 pieces were selected from the hundreds of poems, stories, paintings, drawings and sketches submitted as they best represent “the heartfelt thoughts, fears, dreams, and hopes of Leelanau County students.”
Since 1988, the county-wide collaborative project has showcased the artwork from students in grades 7-12. The art offers unique student perspectives of Leelanau County as well as their broader perspective of the world, and brings together a multitude of supporters to make it possible. Participating schools this year include: Glen Lake, Lake Leelanau St. Mary’s, The Leelanau School, Leland, Northport, Pathfinder, and Suttons Bay.
Exposures Project Coordinator Deb Freed said it’s always a pleasure to see what the talented young people will create.
“Each year, the student work seems to include some similar themes surrounding their love for this special place, their families, and friends, and more broadly, their thoughts on the meaning of life. This year the tone felt a bit darker, with concerns expressed about the state of the world, including violence and climate worries. At the same time there are many inspirational and heartwarming pieces,” Freed said.
The Leelanau School in Glen Arbor will host the 2026 Exposures show, a free public reception celebrating the student art, on Friday, May 1 from 4-6:30 p.m., and on Saturday, May 2 from 12-4 p.m. It will be the first time the school will be host to the show, and is something Rob Hansen, the head of the school, says they’re proud to be part of.
“Exposures has been part of this community for decades, and it matters. It gives students a real platform to share their work, take creative risks, and see themselves in a larger artistic community. Our own students have benefited from it for years, so hosting it at Leelanau feels like a natural way to give back. We’re proud to open our campus and be part of something that reflects the creativity and spirit of this region,” Hansen said.
The ongoing contributions from numerous generous individuals as well as local organizations like Genuine Leelanau, Leland Educational Foundation, and the Suttons Bay-Bingham Fund of the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation are of critical importance and help make the project possible. For more information about Exposures and the upcoming show, go to https:// leelanau. com/ exposures.
