Over 900 Richmond Art Students Recognized as Scholastic Art & Writing Award Winners by Visual Arts Center of Richmond

The Visual Arts Center of Richmond has announced the regional award recipients of the 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.  

Presented by the nonprofit organization, the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the country’s longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative students in grades 7 through 12. This year, nearly 340,000 works of art and writing were submitted to more than 100 affiliate partners across the country.  

As the affiliate partner for the Richmond area, VisArts received submissions from students at schools in Richmond City, Hanover County, Henrico County and Chesterfield County. Students applied in various categories such as painting, photography, digital art, ceramics and poetry. Their work was evaluated by 50 local artists who served as jurors.  

VisArts also accepted writing submissions for the first time in 2019. Almost 300 students submitted over 400 writing entries and VisArts gave out over 130 awards to talented Richmond writers.  

“VisArts is thrilled to be the affiliate partner for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for the second year in a row,” said Stefanie Fedor, executive director of the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. “We were blown away by the impressive work submitted by thousands of young artists in the Richmond Metro Region.” 

Over 900 creative teens from Richmond received regional honors, including Gold Keys, Silver Keys, Honorable Mentions, or American Visions & Voices nominations from their local affiliate, VisArts.

The works that were selected for awards will be on view in VisArts’ True F. Luck Gallery and throughout the building, from February 16 through March 2.  

A reception for all award winners (Gold, Silver, Honorable Mention) will be held at VisArts on Saturday, February 23 from 1-4 p.m. A ceremony for Gold Key recipients will be held on the same day at 2 p.m. at Binford Middle School (1701 Floyd Avenue).  

Since the program’s founding in 1923, the Scholastic Awards have fostered the creativity and talent of millions of students, including renowned alumni who have gone on to become leaders in their fields, including Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Philip Pearlstein, and Sylvia Plath. More recently, Stephen King, Richard Linklater, Zac Posen, and Lena Dunham received Scholastic Art & Writing Awards when they were teens.  

For more information about the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit the Scholastic News Room: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/artandwriting.