Now in its fourth year, Woodlands Boulevard ‘s Annual Primary Schools’ Art Exhibit gives learners aged 5 to 13 a public stage for their work, with food voucher prizes and a R10 000 school prize sponsored by Thunder Valley Spur.
Some of the most interesting art in Pretoria this month has been created by children under 13. From Friday 22 May to Sunday 31 May, Woodlands Boulevard plays host to the 4th Annual Primary Schools’ Art Exhibit, a free community exhibition featuring artwork from 18 local primary schools displayed throughout the mall.
For many of the learners taking part, it is their first experience of showing their work to a public audience. That is something Woodlands Boulevard, takes seriously.
“Art gives children a voice that extends well beyond the classroom, and there is something quite special about seeing that work displayed in a shared public space,” says Barbara Perry, Marketing Manager at the mall. “For a lot of these children, this is the first time their work has been seen by anyone outside their school. We believe that kind of recognition matters, and it is why this exhibition has become such an important part of what we do for our community.”
Each of the 18 participating schools submits up to 20 artwork pieces per grade, resulting in a display of creative work from Grade 0 right through to Grade 7 that spans the length of the mall. Schools taking part this year include American International School of Johannesburg (Pretoria Campus), British Royal College, Curro Hazeldean, Hatfield Christian Primary School, Kingdom School Equestria, Kingsland Academy, Laerskool Anton van Wouw, Laerskool Elarduspark, Laerskool Garsfontein, Laerskool Menlopark, Laerskool Tygerpoort, Pretoria French School, Pure Hope School, Reddford House The Hills, Royal Schools Princess Park, Tomorrow’s People, Waterkloof House Preparatory School and Woodhill College.
Thunder Valley Spur, located at Entrance 2 of Woodlands Boulevard, returns as sponsor. Food voucher prizes are awarded to first, second and third place in every grade: R500, R400 and R300 respectively for Grades 0 to 3, and R1 000, R800 and R600 for Grades 4 to 7. The school whose learners collect the most wins overall takes home a R10 000 prize.
Prize-giving takes place at the mall on Thursday 28 May, with winners notified through their schools by Tuesday 26 May.
For families, the exhibition makes for a free and easy outing, the kind where kids excitedly drag parents from one piece to the next and grandparents tend to linger longest. The artwork can be enjoyed at any pace during normal trading hours.
The 4th Annual Primary Schools’ Art Exhibit runs from 22 to 31 May 2026 at Woodlands Boulevard, Pretoria. Admission is free.