In Irkutsk, the new building of Children's Art School No. 2 was ceremoniously opened, long awaited by children, teachers, and parents. After years in cramped apartments, the school now has spacious classrooms, an exhibition hall, new equipment, and can take more students. The move was especially symbolic ahead of the institution's 35th anniversary, where 179 young artists already study.

This event had been eagerly awaited by children, teachers, and parents: on March 20, the grand opening of the new building of Children's Art School No. 2 (225/б Baumana St.) took place. To congratulate the young artists and their teachers on their new home, Head of the City Department of Culture Olga Aksamentova, Director of the municipal enterprise “UKS of Irkutsk,” City Duma deputy Yevgeny Savchenko, Chief Physician of City Clinical Hospital No. 8, Irkutsk City Duma deputy Zhanna Eseva, directors of municipal institutions of additional education for children, and others came.
Amid thunderous applause and cries of “Hooray!”, the red ribbon was cut by Olga Aksamentova and the director of Children's Art School No. 2, Lyudmila Voronova.
“We worked seriously throughout last year on the issue of acquiring a new building for the art school, because the old one no longer met the necessary standards and regulations,” Olga Aksamentova noted. “The best for children, and they need to study in comfortable conditions. For now, the new classrooms are not yet lived in, and the wallpaper has not yet been stained with paint, but that is only a matter of time. The school’s students have always become winners of various competitions, and now there will be even more such stars! Great success to the school, its teachers, and its students!”
As the director of Children's Art School No. 2 said, the school will turn 35 this July. All this time, the school was located in three apartments (total area 131.1 sq. m) on the first floor of an apartment building. The new building, with a total area of almost 620 sq. m, has become the best birthday gift for the school. Today, 179 children study fine arts at the institution. It is practically the only art school in Novo-Lenino (there is also a branch at Children's School of Arts No. 4). The competition for admission to the school reached 3-4 people per place. Now, up to 260 children will be able to study in the beautiful spacious classrooms of the new building.
The building was constructed by the municipal enterprise “UKS of Irkutsk” in one year. About 30 million rubles were spent from the city budget. The school has 7 classrooms, teachers' offices, and an exhibition hall. New equipment will appear here: a kiln for firing clay items. In the 2 modeling classrooms, 2 large tables and 2 potter's wheels have been installed. A modern children's playground has been installed in the courtyard of the building.
As a reminder, since September 2013, education in municipal art, music, and arts schools has been provided free of charge.
Based on materials from the press service of the Irkutsk administration.