Concord Chamber, MDUSD and Sunvalley ­partner for student Digital Art Showcase

Concord Chamber, MDUSD and Sunvalley ­partner for student Digital Art Showcase
This digital photograph from Z.H. of Concord High is part of the student showcase at Sunvalley Shopping Center. (Photo by Lynn Koellermeier)

Melissa Rea Concord ChamberCONCORD, CA (May 23, 2022) — The Concord Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Mt. Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD) for a few decades as a way to invest in the future workforce, preparing students to become employees and help further their careers.

The chamber sits as the advisory industry partner for the Art & Digital Media Pathway and is a member of the Mt. Diablo Business Education Alliance. As the industry partner, the chamber works with teachers from four high schools with courses in the pathway – College Park, Concord High, Mt. Diablo and Northgate.

The idea of showcasing student art began in 2019, when Sunvalley Shopping Center agreed to host printed displays featuring student artwork. The showcase was placed on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic but was reintroduced as local guidelines began to lift and the community was more comfortable going out.

New Sunvalley general manager Luther Daniel and his team welcomed the idea to move forward with the showcase and morphed the idea to a modern showcase, displaying the artwork digitally throughout the shopping center. This opened up options to not only photography and stills, but also to digital animation.

Visitors can view hundreds of pieces from students until May 25. A scavenger hunt incorporated into the showcase offers clues of where the next display is located, followed by a contest where you have to visit each display for the answers. For the first clue, click here.

Celebrating work and dedication

Sunvalley general manager Luther Daniel spoke at a May 9 reception honoring the student artists.

A May 9 reception brought together students, parents, MDUSD staff and the business community to celebrate the work and dedication from the students. It is truly impressive what these students create, from photographs turned into cartoons to learning how to make eyes blink.

The Concord Chamber of Commerce also held the May Business After Hours Mixer at Sunvalley Shopping Center’s Food Court to help wrap up the showcase and bring the businesses to the center to enjoy the artwork. Participants sampled items from various Food Court tenants, including Artesanal Grill, Burger Joint, iSlice, Koko Chicken and Plus 82 Korean BBQ.

For more information regarding the Concord Chamber of Commerce, call 925-685-1181, visit www.concordchamber.com, or stop by the office at 2280 Diamond Blvd., Suite 200, in Concord.

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