BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) is accepting submissions for the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a prestigious national recognition initiative for teenagers with exceptional artistic and literary talent.
Vermont students in grades 7-12 are invited to submit art and writing entries in dozens of categories, including ceramics, digital art, painting, photography, poetry, humor, science fiction, and personal essay/memoir.
The submission deadline is Dec. 16, 2015. Students and teachers seeking guidelines or additional information are encouraged to visit www.brattleboromuseum.org or to contact Sarah Freeman at 802-257-0124, ext. 102 or sarah@brattleboromuseum.org.
Since its founding in 1923, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have nurtured the talents and helped launch the careers of many creative visionaries. Past winners include Truman Capote, Lena Dunham, Stephen King, Sylvia Plath, John Updike, and Andy Warhol.
Last year, Edil Hassan, a high school senior from Burlington, joined that rarefied group when she was selected as one of 16 recipients nationwide of the awards' highest honor: a Portfolio Gold Medal and a $10,000 college scholarship.
Vermont students may submit original works in any of the awards' art and writing categories. All works are evaluated based on originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal vision or voice - first regionally through BMAC and then nationally by a panel of esteemed artists and writers.
Such notables as Nikki Giovanni, Red Grooms, Paul Giamatti, Faith Ringgold, Wangechi Mutu, David Sedaris, and Andres Serrano have served as jurors.
Vermont winners will be announced by the end of January, 2016, and a selection of award-winning work will be exhibited at BMAC for three weeks beginning Feb. 20, culminating in an awards ceremony on Saturday, March 12 at noon. National award winners will be announced by the end of March.