From right to left: Janice Driesbach, Director and CEO of the Dayton Art Institute; Mike Turner; Jessica McLaughlin, first place winner; Sarah Sutphin, second place winner; Mike Gray, Director of Government Relations at Time Warner Cable; Ryan Cantrell, third place winner; Harry Delaney, Senior VP of News and Content at Cox Ohio.
Mike Turner Speaking at the reception for the participants in the 2010 Congressional Art Competition.
The annual competition was created in 1982 as a way to showcase the artistic talents of young people throughout the country. The goal of the contest is to support and promote the arts, and encourage artistic expression in our youth. This contest will further develop creativity and original thought in our young people, skills that will prove invaluable as they move forward with their education and careers.
We are fortunate to again have the Dayton Art Institute host the Third District Congressional Art Competition. Last year, the Dayton Art Institute celebrated its 90th anniversary. The building is home to a collection of 26,000 pieces spanning 5,000 years of art history and is rated as “superb in quality” by the American Association of Museums. As a nationally recognized museum, it is an honor for students to have their artwork displayed alongside the work of world renowned artists.
Our annual Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students residing in Ohio’s Third Congressional District. All qualified entries will be on view in the North and South Galleries of The Dayton Art Institute in April and the beginning of May. An independent panel of judges will select the winners after each piece of artwork is installed. A special awards ceremony will take place in early May and the grand prize winner and runners-up will be announced. Each participant will be honored and presented with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition.
The first place winner will also win a trip to Washington, D.C. to attend a ceremony inside the U.S. Capitol, where their artwork will be on display with the work of Congressional contest winners across the nation. Hundreds of people will see the artwork each day. Scholarships are awarded to the grand prize winner and runners-up.
Area teachers will begin to receive information regarding the 2011 Congressional Art Contest in the in January 2011.
Each year, I am amazed by the artistic ability exhibited by our young people. One of our nation’s future prominent artists may very well be growing up here in Ohio’s Third Congressional District. This contest is a great opportunity to encourage that talent. I look forward to seeing the artwork produced by our youth as we begin to plan for the 2011 Congressional Art Competition.
If you have any additional questions or are a home schooled student interested in participating, please contact Jim Knupp in my Dayton district office at (937) 225-2843.
