We’re Celebrating 10 Years of Art Across the Island!
WHEN: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 from 4:30 – 6:30 pm
WHERE: Books, Inc. Alameda – 1344 Park St, Alameda, CA 94501
Join AEF and special guests at Books Inc., Alameda were we’ll be hosting a reception to celebrate 10 years of AEF’s Art Across the Island (AATI)!
For the past decade, Pam Riley Chang has been showcasing art by Alameda students across our island at city libraries and commercial venues. She has collected and is displaying special pieces she’s saved over the years (see the listing below).
Books Inc. will be donating a percent of sales that day to AEF’s art programs.
View a decade of selected student art at these venues:
See Spot Run
Jul. 15 -Sep. 14, 2026 (1320 Park St., Alameda)
Animal art (both real and imagined) has been found at Alameda’s pet boutique. In the past, you were as likely to see multimedia songs birds as you were to see fierce dragons. The anniversary display includes a bear in a sweater from Earhart, a pelican from Paden (the pelican is the school mascot) and koi fish tattoos from the Jr Jets. Open Monday to Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6 PM and Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Books Inc, Alameda
Jul. 21 – Sep. 20, 2026 (1344 Park Street)
Over the years, Books Inc has showcased student art inspired by books by Dr. Seuss and David McKee. To celebrate a decade of literary art, Books Inc has Dot Day art from Ruby Bridges, Haiku Poetry on Japanese marbled paper from Love and an original book cover from Otis. The book cover is based on work by (Maya Lin) art teacher and children’s book writer and illustrator, Constance Moore. Open Monday to Thursday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Friday and Saturday: 9:00 AM – 9 PM, Sunday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
West End Library
Aug. 1 – Sep. 30, 2026 (788 Santa Clara Ave.)
The West End Library has featured more 3-Dimensional art than any other location. This library has always focused on neighborhood schools, but with the anniversary celebration, K-5 art from across the community shares the same space. There’s a haunting chalk landscape from Bay Farm and a batik snowflake from Edison. Closer to home, there’s a Lum self-portrait, a Matisse-influenced collage from Maya Lin and monsters from Franklin and Ruby Bridges. Open Monday to Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6 PM, Closed: Friday and Sunday, Open Saturday: 9 AM – 5 PM
Main Library: Teen Section
Aug. 11 – Oct. 10, 2026 (1550 Oak Street)
Since the Fall of 2025, the Teen Section has featured Pacific Northwest art from Alameda High and poetry from Island High. There has been Egyptian hieroglyphics from Lincoln and the Jr Jets’ digital arts class made Andy Warhol prints specifically for this location. For the anniversary, there are fine line drawings from both Alameda and Encinal. There’s a painted plastic sea anemone from Wood. Bay Farm Middle School has a chalk drawing inspired by images from the Hubble Telescope. Open Monday to Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6 PM, Friday and Saturday: 9 AM – 5 PM, Sunday: 12 PM – 5 PM
The History of AATI
Art Across the Island began small, but grew
In September 2016, Pam Riley Chang approached librarian Karin Lundstrom to see if AEF could exhibit student art at the West End Library. She also asked Pilar Burlingame, owner of Lilac Dress Boutique, if student work could be placed in Lilac’s windows. Both women said yes and Art Across the Island began with locations at the corner of Santa Clara and 8th Street and at the corner of Encinal and Chestnut.
From there, the program quickly grew to include the Bay Farm Island Branch Library and the Children’s Section of the Main Library (the Teen Section at Main was added later). A dozen locations across the city asked to have student artwork grace their stores and cafes. Most small businesses had art displayed for a few months, while the Alameda Grocery Outlet, Aphrodite’s Closet, Books Inc, Lilac, The Local and See Spot Run showcased student work for several years or more. Then Rhythmix Cultural Works’ K Gallery came onboard and exhibited student work each Spring from 2022 through 2025.
Inspired teachers, creative students and sophisticated venues made magic happen
With so many locations, with art up year-round and with complete participation from all AUSD schools, as well as the 3 charters, close to 8,000 works have been seen over the past decade. Students as young as those in TK programs to graduating High School Seniors got to see their work, expertly displayed, in beautiful locations. And, of course, none of this would have happened without teachers (both art teachers and classroom instructors) inspiring their kids and reaching out to AEF so that the community could see all of this creativity.
Over the decade, students exhibited ceramics, objects made with 3D printers, free standing figures made of wire, and twisty sculptures made of painted fabric. They were inspired to make their own versions of art by Picasso, Monet, Seurat and Van Gogh. There were fine line drawings and digital art. And there were poems and short stories.