Youth Peace Art Exhibit Opens at Evansville Library

Children's artwork exploring what peace means is on display at EVPL Central through the Peaceful Towns competition.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Fine Art

Youth Peace Art Exhibit Opens at Evansville Library

An exhibit of drawings and illustrations by young artists exploring the meaning of peace opened at EVPL Central in Evansville. The works were submitted to the Peaceful Towns art competition, and an awards reception will be held Nov. 10.

Why it matters

The competition is Evansville's first year participating in the Peaceful Towns peace-education project organized by Mayors for Peace, an international coalition of more than 8,600 cities advocating for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Evansville joined the coalition in 2022.

The competition received 45 entries judged across two age groups, ages 6-10 and 11-15, with five winners chosen per category and awards between $25 and $250. The extraction does not specify the breakdown of entries by school or the number of future competitions planned.

The players

Mayors for Peace

An international coalition of more than 8,600 cities that advocates for the abolition of nuclear weapons and runs peace-education programs such as Peaceful Towns.

Stephanie Terry

The mayor of Evansville, who is presenting the Peaceful Towns competition locally alongside the EVPL Foundation.

Veterans For Peace Chapter 104

The Evansville chapter of the national veterans' peace organization, which is underwriting the competition awards.

The details

The exhibit is in the READ Center at EVPL Central and features drawings and illustrations submitted to the Peaceful Towns competition. The competition is presented locally by the EVPL Foundation and Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry, with awards underwritten by Veterans For Peace Chapter 104 in Evansville.

2022: Evansville joins the Mayors for Peace coalition.
Nov. 10, 5:30-6:30 p.m.: Awards reception honors the 10 young artists at EVPL Central.

Season Trajectory

Evansville's first participation in the Peaceful Towns project extends the city's 2022 entry into Mayors for Peace, which has grown to more than 8,600 member cities. The local exhibit places Evansville among the municipalities now using youth art to engage with the coalition's nuclear-abolition mission.

The exhibit is open to visitors at the READ Center in EVPL Central during library hours. The public is invited to the awards reception from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 to see the 10 winning artists honored.

The takeaway

Community art programs can give young people a concrete way to engage with large global questions such as nuclear disarmament. Visiting local youth exhibits is an accessible way for residents to see how those ideas are expressed by their neighbors.