Preserving cultural heritage through artistic expression is at the heart of a new exhibit opening Friday, Feb. 1, at the Museum & Arts Center in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley’s Exhibit Center, 175 W. Cedar St., during Sequim’s First Friday Art Walk.

The exhibit opens with a public reception from 5-8 p.m. sponsored by 7 Cedars Casino.

Housed within the Jamestown S’Klallam Longhouse Exhibit at the center, the new display highlights the Jamestown S’Klallam Children’s Program.

The program’s heritage teaching is reflected in the items made by children in the program. They include story sticks coupled with self-penned stories, costumes made for plays, beadwork, weaving, and paddle and drum paintings, as well as displays written in the Klallam language.

Children who currently participate in the program will be on hand at 5 p.m. sharp to open the reception with song.

“It’s exciting to see how the program is designed to have the children develop these skills that we will all enjoy when they’re adult artists as well, everything from beadwork and weaving to paintings and paddles,” MAC History Exhibits coordinator Lyn Fiveash said.

“It’s all part of their heritage and they’re sharing it with us. I thank them for it.”

Cultural expressions

The Jamestown S’Klallam Children’s Program, led by Children’s Program coordinator Sally Fairbanks, is open to eligible Native American children, regardless of tribal affiliation, ages 5-11.

The Jamestown S’Klallam Longhouse Exhibit, which opened in 2010 and features rotating collections of artwork and artifacts of cultural significance, is a collaborative endeavor between the MAC and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe.

The MAC Exhibit Center is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Visit www.macsequim.org or call 683-8110 for more information.