Illinois State University Milner Library's International Collection of Child Art (ICCA) celebrates the creativity and innovative work produced by children with a global perspective.
Thought provoking representations of whimsical animals, fanciful portraits, musings on daily life, enchanting landscapes, and other imaginative themes provide a window for the viewer to share the often magical outlook of a child.
The work in this collection reflects the energy and inventiveness young artists bring to art-making and the profoundly imaginative vision they use to create images. The collection holds over 8,600 original works of art made by children representing more than fifty countries and cultures.
Many images include an audio description of the artwork. The audio description project was funded via a grant provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. For more information about the audio descriptions or artwork, please contact April Anderson-Zorn, University Archivist.
About
The International Collection of Child Art's origins and history are intertwined with Illinois State University's history, an institution whose founding premise is rooted in education and diversity. Dr. F. Louis Hoover, Illinois State University distinguished professor of art emeritus and former University Museum Director, initiated the original children's art collection in the 1960s with over 3,000 artworks, more than 300 collected from public schools in Illinois.
In the early 1970s, Dr. Barry Moore (1933-2014) expanded his full-time teaching responsibilities at Illinois State University to curate the fledgling International Collection of Child Art. His appreciation of children's visual expressions was a natural extension of his expertise in education and preparing students to teach art in the classroom. Dr. Moore also pursued liaison relationships with UNICEF and the Christian Children's Fund, which eventually led to the expansion of the collection when it became the repository for international artworks donated from these organizations. The International Collection of Child Art later earned accreditation from the American Association of Museums and was part of the Illinois State University's Museum collections.
