January 29, 2002

Contact: Kerri Conan, School of Fine Arts, (785) 864-5567.

KU Art and Design Gallery hosts 55th annual Scholastic Art Awards exhibit

LAWRENCE -- The University of Kansas Art and Design Gallery hosts the Western Missouri and Northeastern Kansas Annual Scholastic Art Awards Program, running Feb. 3 through 14. The awards ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, in 120 Budig Hall in the Hoch Auditoria on the KU campus. The exhibition and the ceremony are free and open to the public.

In its 55th year representing the Kansas City area, the Scholastic Art Awards exhibit is part of a national program that celebrates young people's artistic talents. Students in grades 7 through 12 participate in the two-week juried exhibition. Judges select outstanding regional student works to compete alongside entries from around the country at the national exhibition, which will take place in New York City later this year.

For the 2002 competition, students from 62 schools in western Missouri and northeastern Kansas are participating, involving 158 art educators, 169 portfolios and 3,811 individual entries. The awards have been divided into 14 Silver Key Portfolios, 12 Gold Key Portfolios and 668 Gold/Silver Individual Key Awards.

In addition to the Scholastic Arts Program committee, judges, teachers and numerous other volunteers, the University of Kansas, the Kansas City Art Institute, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and The Kansas City Star sponsor this event.

The gallery is located on the third floor of the Art and Design Building, at the northeast corner of 15th Street and Naismith Drive. Hours are 1-4 p.m. Sunday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday, and 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Friday. The gallery is closed Saturdays and holidays. For more information, please call the KU Department of Art and Department of Design Office at (785) 864-4401.