Looking for something creative for your kids to do while stuck in lockdown for April break? The Royal Ontario Museum announced today that they are collecting art from kids aged 4-18 for a special exhibition that will be hosted in the fall. Through creative expression in a variety of mediums, #MyPandemicStory is a way to honour how kids and teens experienced the pandemic, and also capture and preserve artifacts from this challenging era. 

“At the ROM, we are always seeking new and interesting ways to understand the past, make sense of the present, and shape a shared future together,” says Jennifer Wild, Deputy Director for Engagement at the ROM. “This pandemic has had a profound impact on the lives of our children. And this moment in history represents a unique opportunity for the ROM and young people across the province to work together to reflect on the emotions and experiences of this time and how it may shape the future. We are eager to hear from kids, teens and their families on how their lives have changed during this unprecedented time, from challenges to triumphs and all the emotions between.”  

Covid Collage by Eklavya Patel, Age 14, Brampton

“Art helps us cope with life’s greatest challenges by telling our stories through colour, sound, and texture,” adds Justin Jennings, ROM Senior Curator of Archaeology of the Americas and curator of the #MyPandemicStory-themed exhibition. “Children’s art often makes plain an era’s emotions, and I can think of no better place than the ROM to share children’s stories of life during the COVID-19 pandemic.”  

Submissions can be made on social media by using the hashtag #MyPandemicStory and tagging #ROMToronto, or through the ROM website from April 12, 2021 until June 27, 2021.