Held every March, Youth Art Month is a month-long celebration of student artists, in which WMA partners with elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the Wiregrass region to display student artwork in the museum. The exhibition is open to K-12 students from public, private, and home schools in the region, and emphasizes the value of art and art education for all children and encourages the public to support quality school art programs.
ENTRY GUIDELINES
Number of Entries
Enter only ONE (1) artwork per student. Please limit to FIVE (5) submissions per art project.
Artwork Drop-off / Pick-up
Only teachers may drop-off or pick-up artwork which must be delivered during drop-off dates/times.
Quality of Work
Artwork should be well constructed, sturdy, and not contain food materials or glitter.
Honesty Statement
Students and teachers must complete the Honesty Statement on the entry form and attach to back of work with masking tape. Do not use clear tape, staples or glue.
Sizes / Media
Limit artwork to 2D (standard sizes) and 3D works (no larger than 12” x 12”). All mediums accepted.
Disqualification
Artwork that does not adhere to the guidelines will not be considered.
Additional Consideration
All Grade 11-12 submissions to YAM will also be considered for the Second Congressional Art Competition provided the submission meets the 26” x 26” size requirement as outlined in the Second Congressional entry guidelines.
Usage Rights
By entering YAM, WMA reserves the right to reproduce images from selected art works for promotional purposes. Credit will be attributed.
SELECTION OF WORK
Jurors
All works for display in the Youth Art Month Exhibition will be selected by two (2) art professionals not associated with WMA or area arts programs.
Elementary / Middle School
Elementary and Middle (K- 8) jurors will select pieces that offer the best representation of grade level and imagination.
High School
High School (9 – 12) jurors will select works that offer the best representation of grade level, craftsmanship, innovation, and technical skill.
IMPORTANT DATES
- January 19th through February 3rd: Drop-off artwork deadline*
- February 12: Notification of selected works
- February 12 – March 3: Artworks not selected picked up**
- Thursday, March 1st Opening Reception, 5PM – 7PM
- Thursday, March 31st YAM Exhibition closes
- April 4 – April 28th* Final pick-up of selected artwork**
*Drop-off/pick-up artwork during WMA business hours:
Wednesday through Friday 10AM – 4:30PM
Saturday 10AM – 2:30PM
**WMA is not responsible for artwork that is not claimed by the final pick-up date.
Youth Write Night
Tuesday, March 6
5 – 7 p.m.
Open to 7th-12th grade students
Participants are encouraged to prepare an original piece, not to exceed five minutes in length when presented. Works can be individual or collaborations – poetry, skits, fiction, non-fiction, humor, commentary, and beyond!
THE 2ND CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION: ARTISTIC DISCOVERY CONTEST
In conjunction with Youth Art Month, WMA will once again host the 2nd Congressional Art Competition, open to all high school juniors and seniors in the 2nd Congressional District. The winning piece from Alabama-District 2 will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol alongside artwork from other contest winners nationwide. The 2nd Congressional Art Competition is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our Congressional district. All winning pieces from each Congressional district will also be considered for selection as the National Congressional Art Competition winner.
OUT OF THE (ART) BOX
We are also thrilled to recognize another year of our popular high-school installation challenge, Out of the (Art) Box. Teams of high school students will create original installations using moveable “boxes.” This year, students will once again be challenged to completely transform their material and think outside of the “(art) box.” The completed “boxes” will be created at the museum over two days and then displayed in the museum during the month of March. The winning team will receive a donation to their school’s visual art program.
AWARDS
High School (9 – 12) students’ works are eligible for the following awards:
- Wiregrass Museum of Art Award, hung at WMA
- Youth Art Month Award, hung at a sponsor’s location
- Houston County Award, hung in the County Commission Building
- City of Dothan Award, hung in the Mayor’s Office
- 2nd Congressional Art Competition Award, hung at Capitol
Elementary (K-5) and Middle (6-8) grade students’ works are eligible for the following award:
- Wiregrass Museum of Art Award, hung at WMA (2)
High School awarded artwork will be displayed at the designated location for one (1) year, from March 2018 through March 2019. Works will be returned in April 2017. High School award winners will receive a $50.00 check. High School award winners receive recognition during a Dothan City Commission meeting held in early March 2018.
For further information, email Educator Amanda Holcomb
or call (334) 794-3871 ext. 25.