Colouring Outside the Lines: Celebrating children as artists and citizens

What happens when we genuinely see children as artists? 

Not creators of cute keepsakes or carefully guided craft projects, but artists capable of expressing ideas, exploring complex concepts and contributing meaningfully to their communities. 

That question sits at the heart of Colouring Outside the Lines, an exhibition at Maitland Regional Art Gallery  created by children from East Maitland Preschool (George Street and Brunswick Street campuses).  

More than a showcase of children's artwork, the exhibition is, in fact, an act of advocacy. It makes visible a powerful image of children, recognising them as artists, thinkers and citizens; a message that struck a chord with the 200-strong turnout at the recent opening. 

Respecting children as artists 

The exhibition's title reflects a broader commitment to challenging assumptions about how children learn and what they are capable of creating.  

Rather than directing children towards a finished product, educators at East Maitland Preschool focus on providing rich materials, time to explore and opportunities to follow children's ideas and inquiries.  

"Learning is not linear," says Educational Leader, Brooke Bailey. "We want to move beyond the lines that we're given and think big with children." 

Director Jodie Cox agrees, explaining that too often, children's artistic experiences are shaped by templates and colouring-in sheets. While these approaches may produce neat displays, they can leave little room for experimentation, creativity or self-expression. 

"It's not about having predetermined outcomes. It's around respecting children as artists," says Jodie. 

Why arts practice matters 

The Colouring outside the lines exhibition is the culmination of a long pedagogical journey. The preschool placed arts practice at the centre of its Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) in 2018, kick-starting a sustained exploration of the role creativity plays in children's learning and wellbeing. 

Through professional learning, artist collaborations and ongoing reflection, educators explored the arts as a language through which children could communicate ideas, test theories, build relationships and make meaning of their experiences. 

"We know the value it brings as a language for children to express their ideas and thinking, and also challenge ideas, dream of ideas and dream big," Brooke says. 

The journey also required educators to rethink their own relationship with creativity. 

"There was almost an unravelling of that vision they already had of themselves as artists or not artists," says Jodie. "But actually, it gave them the confidence to be able to give it a go and explore themselves." 

Over time, arts practice has become more than a curriculum area. It has become a way of listening to children and creating opportunities for them to communicate through multiple forms of expression. 

Making learning visible 

The idea for a public exhibition emerged from a simple question: what if children's work could be celebrated beyond the preschool walls? 

"We dreamed big. We thought imagine if we could bring our children's voices to a gallery space to celebrate," says Brooke. 

When Maitland Regional Art Gallery called for expressions of interest, the team submitted a proposal focused on children's rights to participate in quality arts experiences and express themselves in diverse ways. The preschool exhibition was selected as one of just ten from more than 100 submissions from across Australia. 

Importantly, the goal was never simply to display artwork. It was to make children's learning visible. 

Throughout the exhibition, documentation accompanies the works, providing insight into the questions, conversations and relationships behind them. A booklet shares perspectives of children and educators. 

For the work Mattering: The stories we tell, children explored the history of their preschool through textiles and photography, wondering about the experiences of the children who came before them. 

In the words of the artists: 

"I wonder if the children 29 years ago felt like the building was huge?" 

"It was such a big place. I wonder if it was big to them?" 

For another collaborative weaving project, one artist offers a powerful reflection on belonging and community: 

"This is the together basket. Each weave is us coming in. When we weave out far it gets knots. But when we weave close it stays together." 

These insights invite visitors to look beyond the finished product and into the richness of children's thinking. 

"Our main messaging was around the depth and richness of the learning," says Brooke. "We wanted to translate that through documentation." 

Children as artists, children as citizens 

Across the exhibition, children's inquiries into sustainability, community, identity and reconciliation are made visible through a diverse range of artistic mediums. 

In Wormy, a large-scale collaborative sculpture made of recycled paper, following children's investigations into sustainability and material transformation. A reconciliation cloak stitched together stories of learning, connection and belonging on Wonnarua Country, carrying forward the voices of children, families, educators and community members. 

At the heart of the cloak is a simple yet profound statement from the children themselves: 

"It matters about the people. Home is about the people." 

Another work, Rhonda, explores relationships, care and sustainability through reclaimed fibres and weaving. During the project, children posed a thoughtful reflection on time, legacy and belonging: 

"Will Rhonda still be loved in ten years?" 

Such perspectives are at the heart of the exhibition, with children invited into the gallery to view the installation and share their thoughts. Their recorded voices now accompany many of the works. 

For Brooke, this is where the exhibition's significance lies. 

“We want children to be seen in our community as participants and as community members,” she says. 

More than a celebration of children's artwork, Colouring Outside the Lines invites the community to stop, notice and listen. It reminds us that children are not future citizens waiting to contribute. They are citizens now; questioning, creating and helping us see the world differently. 

Find out more about the Maitland Art Gallery