Collecting Kinship: The Belonging We Build
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River Arts Center, Prairie du Sac 105 Ninth St., Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin 53578
media release: Exhibition Dates: Monday, December 7, 2026 – Friday, February 12, 2027, at the Sauk Prairie River Arts Center (105-9th Street, Prairie du Sac)
Reception: TBA
In 2024, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services highlighted a study in its article "The State of Social Connectedness in Wisconsin," which found that “Wisconsin was ranked 31st out of 50 states in loneliness.” River Arts, Inc., along with many other community focused organizations, businesses, and individuals, recognizes these findings as an urgent call to action to reinforce the importance of social connectedness within our local communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention further emphasizes this need, stating, “When individuals are socially connected, they are better able to navigate life challenges and cope with stress, trauma, adversity, anxiety, and depression.”
This season, River Arts, Inc. presents Collecting Kinship: The Belonging We Build. This call for art invites Wisconsin artists to create work that explores the many forms of kinship cultivated through community. Artists are encouraged to reflect on and celebrate the relationships, welcoming spaces, shared experiences, and meaningful connections that foster a sense of belonging and strengthen social connectedness in their own lives. Through this theme, the exhibition seeks artwork that illustrates how community, beyond familial ties, shapes, sustains, and enriches our collective well-being.
