Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Fine Arts & Essay Exhibition features work of 2,208 young artists & writers

1,663 essays and pieces of student art submitted from 67 schools statewide; exhibit can be viewed online here

Submitted by the New York State Office of General Services

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) and Office of General Services (OGS) announced the opening of the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Fine Arts and Essay Exhibition.

Dr. King’s commitment to nonviolent advocacy served as the inspiration for 2,208 students from 67 public and private schools across the state to submit their creations. The submissions, which include several group projects, mark just the fourth time more than 1,000 pieces of student artwork will be on display at the Empire State Plaza in Albany and online for this exhibition.

“The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Fine Arts and Essay Exhibition is an opportunity for students across New York state to express how Dr. King’s legacy inspires them to pursue a world where everyone’s rights are secured and protected,” OGS Commissioner Jeanette Moy said. “This year’s national theme for the annual King holiday observance is ‘Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence,’ and it resonates within the art and essays produced by the talented students who participated in this year’s exhibition.”

NYS Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young Jr. said, “I believe strongly in the transformative power of the arts and the written word. When students engage in artistic and creative endeavors, they broaden their vision of the world and develop a deeper understanding of our shared humanity. I am delighted that so many New York state students and teachers have chosen to participate in this year’s fine arts and essay exhibition. I can’t imagine a better way for students to celebrate and honor Dr. King’s enduring legacy.”

NYS Commissioner of Education Betty A. Rosa said, “I am so thrilled to see this tremendous outpouring of respect and admiration for Dr. King expressed so beautifully in our students’ artwork and essays. It’s important to remember that this annual exhibition is more than a celebration of Dr. King’s life and legacy; it is also a celebration of our shared history, culture, and the joy and empowerment which come from creativity and hard work. I thank the Office of General Services and Commissioner Jeanette Moy for once again working closely with the state Education Department to present this year’s exhibition – and I encourage all New Yorkers to view, read and enjoy our students’ wonderfully creative expressions.”

Each year, NYSED invites schools to honor King’s memory by submitting original student artworks and essays that reflect King’s teaching. The student art and essays illustrate King’s Six Principles and Steps of Nonviolence and celebrate his birthday.

The entire exhibit is posted online at www.empirestateplaza.ny.gov/nyking.

To honor King’s legacy and celebrate Black History Month in February, several pieces of student art will also be exhibited by OGS on the Empire State Plaza in Albany, and throughout Black History Month in February.

Among the highlights of this year’s exhibit: 

•Kindergarteners and first graders from Evergreen Charter School in Hempstead had the most submissions by a single school, featuring 238 artworks, both two- and three-dimensional (view image here). 

•Eighteen students in second through 11th grades from The Long Island Whole Child Academy in Melville created a group artwork inspired by King's teachings (view image here).

 The public is also invited to watch New York state’s annual commemoration of the life and legacy of King, which will be presented as a statewide broadcast event, “We Press On: New York State Celebrates the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” airing on PBS stations throughout New York beginning Jan. 18. The public also may watch the program at empirestateplaza.ny.gov/nyking beginning at 10 a.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 20.

Visit empirestateplaza.ny.gov/nyking and follow @NYSGeneralServices on Instagram and @NewYorkStateOGS on Facebook for PBS member station program updates and additional information about New York’s celebration of King's life and legacy.

As in years past, New York is hosting several service-related programs to fulfill King’s vision of community, including the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statewide food drive, which concludes Feb. 18; and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statewide book drive, which takes place Feb. 21 through April 18.