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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Art sale at son's school

145 replies

Bardette · 14/05/2014 22:23

Genuinely don't know if I'm being unreasonable but...
Next week is sports day at ds school. School have announced that there will be an Art display in the hall with one framed piece of work by each child. After perusing the display we can then buy our child's piece for £8. Ds knows about this and has told me I have to rush to make sure no one buys his picture before me! AIBU in being a bit cross at being forced to do this? It's not even a like they have chosen the children's best work, they all had to sit down and paint a tree over a couple of afternoons last week.

OP posts:
LocalEditorWiganandSalford · 15/05/2014 10:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DamnBamboo · 15/05/2014 10:36

Local am also a governor and have been involved in the PTA. My last post did address the fact that it shouldn't cost too much - this is not on and should be addressed.

But this high cost however is no different than overcharging for the grotto at the Christmas fete, or for the pony rides at the summer one etc. Bad pricing is a problem, whatever the product/service.

Careful selection of activities and providers is always necessary to ensure that as much as possible goes back into the school fund, people skilled at getting donations and good bargains are invaluable here!

LocalEditorWiganandSalford · 15/05/2014 10:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DamnBamboo · 15/05/2014 10:45

Of course not! It's just that you can be sure that the majority of those who complain won't be offering any constructive comments, they'll just moan!

unlucky83 · 15/05/2014 10:50

We have something like this locally organised by a charity but affiliated with the local playgroups and school. The art is produced at an art workshop (outside school hours) , pictures are displayed at a real art gallery for a weekend. Lots of people donate their time etc and the gallery space is reduced rate ....and it is amazing how proud the children feel.
It is open to all within a certain age range and everything is free but they can only do limited no of spaces - so there is a draw. The whole thing is supported by grants, but the parent's can buy their child's picture (canvas) for an anonymous donation (unless they gift aid then they have to say) - so it is inclusive.
The average paid was £8. Which is a bargain for everything they get - would never cover the costs without the grants...
My DD did it last year - and was so proud and was desperate for me to 'buy' hers before someone else bought it (they got sold dots on their description cards). When someone complimented her on it, she suggested we could photocopy it and they could buy that Grin.

Perhaps that is the way to go - people making an anonymous donation for their child's work (without a frame) but the frames available to buy separately at more or less cost...

(We do the Christmas Cards every other year at primary school - I hate them and I'm on the PTA! It is minimum of £6 for 12 - so when I had 2 DC at the school £12 (not too bad) but for 24 cards
I only send 5 Christmas cards out a year (and DCs make ones for my family)... I have loads that will end up in the bin Sad
And the school get £1 for £6 or something - we take in £1.5k and they cost us £1.3k - the school gets £200..
And the more cards the parents buy, the cheaper the cards are each but the less money per card the school get...
But to be fair for another group I'm involved with we looked at getting cards made - one design for all - and we ended up piggybacking on the school order ,
And each class will have a design to follow because there isn't enough time in the day to get them to do individual art for the cards - a lot of children will need some inspiration ...however you should have the option to do something at home and send it in to use instead?

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 15/05/2014 10:55

Our school did this...my DS also did a picture of a tree that was then framed and sold to us.....I bought it without a second thought, it's a nice thing to hang up.

If you don't want it then don't buy it, it's not a requirement.

Retropear · 15/05/2014 10:59

What an awful idea.

So the parents who can't afford to buy their dc's art(I have 3 and £24 on art no thanks) will be left with kids's thinking their mum doesn't value their art work.

Retropear · 15/05/2014 11:01

Our PTA manages to come up with plenty of affordable ideas that don't fleece parents via emotional blackmail.

DamnBamboo · 15/05/2014 11:10

The thing is, people also overlook the fact that the children get a real sense of achievement and feel really proud that their work is in 'a gallery'

Assuming the price is reasonable, I think it's a great idea. And assuming you can get the paper picture anyway (without the frame) - then I see no issue. You can make a carboard frame with your child if need be.

DamnBamboo · 15/05/2014 11:13

Any PTA related-event can be considered emotional blackmail as it generally requires people to part with their money and/or time. Many people have a specific preference for either one of these.

What you consider reasonable, may not be for others. And so on. Where do you draw the line? Not try to raise any money at all for those who don't have a spare pound?

In which case no fundraising at all!?

DamnBamboo · 15/05/2014 11:15

You're also assuming that their sole responsibility is simply to raise funds, which is clearly a large part of their remit.

But it is also to provide fun, exciting things for the children too - which creating a piece for an 'art gallery' is for many of them.

Retropear · 15/05/2014 11:16

I think it's awful.

I personally would pay a £1 but I suspect several couldn't and there would also be several who just wouldn't.

When kids take work home,it goes home.Every kid is the same and every piece of work has the same value put on it re effort publicly.For some kids to see their work left on display whilst other kids skip down the road with parents proudly carrying their work would be heartbreaking.

Sorry I have my teacher head on and knowing some of the parents I've had in the past can guarantee the very kids who need confidence boosting would be those whose work wasn't bought.

And £8 you are giving a laugh!Shock

ThePost · 15/05/2014 11:19

DS's school did this 2 years ago. $50 for each painting. No that's not a typo. $50. It's about £27 in GBP.

DamnBamboo · 15/05/2014 11:20

£8 is a lot. I have said that, as have most others.

There are parents who get involved where possible and those who don't. Money is sometimes a factor sometimes it's not. Time is usually a very big factor.

Should schools not do class assemblies either because some parents never, ever come?

Retropear · 15/05/2014 11:21

Buying a cake in a cake sale or a Disco ticket is entirely different.There is no emotional investment or judging of something a child has put effort into.

The Xmas cards are bad enough(I refuse to buy all 3 packs ie £18 on cards) but you can hide it if you're careful.I failed this year as dd came out upset asking why I didn't like her cards enough to buy them.SadThey get sent home with the child,some had them and some didn't.I said the order must have been lost.With a public art display it's obvious,there for all to see(and a rip off).

ThePost · 15/05/2014 11:21

And we had to pay for a ticket to the "gallery's opening night."

BrokenToeOuch · 15/05/2014 11:22

Our school PTAs do this too. I think it's lovely tbh, although I tend to send their artwork to grandparents!
You pay £6 for a mounted and framed picture, or £5 each if you have more than one DCs picture to buy. They make a whole evening of it though, each year group have an allotted time slot to come and look through the gallery with wine, and then buy your childs painting (usually a collage demonstrating a few techniques, marbled paper, cut out black paper for silhouettes, pastilles, chalking etc) and the next day it gets sent home.
Every year the PTA makes over a thousand pounds, its their second biggest fundraiser of the year after the summer fayre. I have no involvement with the PTA but am happy to donate to it, they work hard and have managed to raise money to buy 15 ipads for every class and lots of other great resources.
It gets all the DC involved and gives them something to feel proud of too, I can't personally see an issue.

Retropear · 15/05/2014 11:26

The post Shock

Retropear · 15/05/2014 11:27

Broken how lovely for your kids,not so for those kids with parents who couldn't/ wouldn't participate.Hmm

DeWee · 15/05/2014 11:29

I've had this done twice, once with dd1 at infant school, once with dd2 at junior school. It's rare enough I can't get worked up about it.

But I do take the point that if they send the unsold artwork home then it isn't fair on those who have spent out. I'd just wait until it came home and frame it myself.

However ours was done by an outside provider, and they gave the children the impression that those that weren't sold at school would be taken to be sold elsewhere, and actually made those children feel very proud that someone was going to have their picture on their wall.

SoFishy · 15/05/2014 11:30

Ugh I hate any fundraising that runs the risk of upsetting kids whose parents can't affords it. How horrible.

Rofl at OP's DS though. Imagine being the parent that buys some other kid's effort instead of your own! Harsh.

DamnBamboo · 15/05/2014 11:39

For the record, I never buy the christmas cards.
Ever!
I keep the sample they bring home showing it off, but I don't buy them. My boys know this and fine with it.

BTW, a previous school my son went to replaced bought versions with photocopies so nobody knew who's had been bought and who's hadn't.

PrimalLass · 15/05/2014 11:40

It's been a teaching point in my DD's class as they have learned about a famous artist and made their own versions of his painting. I really don't mind this one and the school has to raise money somehow.

Retropear · 15/05/2014 11:41

But the cost of colour photocopying must out way the small profit schools make on those rip,off cards.Confused

DamnBamboo · 15/05/2014 11:42

Retro should Christmas fete's not be run then either?
How about class assemblies?

There are always parents who don't give a shit about these (even if their child has a reading part, or is participating in the Christmas Dance) and never do anything to support the school.

I am genuinely wondering how you would suggest activities and events should be run so as not to upset some children.