Education Exhibition Hallway

For more than 45 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Erie, Niagara and the Southern Tier has been helping children facing adversity reach their full potential through professionally supported mentoring relationships with carefully screened and well-trained volunteer mentors. These friendships help children to achieve better grades in school, improve their sense of self-worth, and experience a broad range of new opportunities within their community.

The organization’s Art of Friendship project uses art as a way to express the friendships and connections made between a Big Brother or Big Sister and their Little Brother or Little Sister. The “Big & Little” matches are asked to create a piece of art, using canvas and melted crayon, that reflects something personal about their friendship. Beginning in January, during National Mentoring Month, the pieces travel in small exhibitions to Western New York businesses and organizations as a fun and interesting way to introduce the community to these unique, life-changing friendships.

Admission to this exhibition is free on M&T FIRST FRIDAYS @ THE GALLERY.