"The national festival, ChildArt USA, appears to be a wonderful way to promote the importance of art education."Sandy Garrett State Superintendent of Public Instruction Oklahoma State Department of Education

“An outstanding event which will address important issues such as cultural, social, political and economic diversity through the eyes and creative spirit of our nation’s children.”
Herman M. Aizawa, Ph. D., Superintendent, Hawaii Department of Education

“It gives me great pleasure to join your efforts in using the arts to awaken and nurture children so they can successfully meet the challenges of being our best resources and architects of the future.”
Wilmer S. Cody, Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Education

In 1998, ICAF organized the first-ever national children’s art festival in the United States. The ChildArt USA Festival was the first festival organized by ICAF and it was a great success.

Under the ICAF Millennium Program, children across the country were encouraged to participate in the millennium celebration through their own art and creativity. Invitations of participation were mailed to schools in nearly all U.S. school districts. By the June 12, 1998 deadline, participating schools submitted to ICAF one representative artwork each on the theme: My World in the Year 2000.

On June 27, 1998, an independent jury of artists and art educators met in Washington, DC and selected 50 outstanding artworks to be exhibited at the ChildArt USA Festival on September 4-8, 1998.

The children who rendered these 50 artworks were from elementary and middle schools in 30 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. ICAF invited these 50 talented children to Washington, DC to participate in the ChildArt USA Festival and open the exhibition of their artworks. Parents and schoolteachers accompanied the children.

The America Mural was created by the child artists on The National Mall on September 4, 1998. The same evening, the ChildArt USA Awards Ceremony was held at the International Trade Center and Ronald Reagan Building. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, Mr. Bill Ivy, Chairman, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and Mr. Anthony Gittens, Executive Director, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities were the chief guests. They addressed the children and presented them ICAF’s Creativity Awards.

The Ceremony was held against the backdrop of the America Mural. The 50 selected artworks were exhibited at the Ronald Reagan Building for several days.