Scholastic Art Awards Held for Young Artists

Our children are our link to the future, so it's only logical that we would support them and encourage them wherever possible. This holds true in art as well; without encouragement from their peers and family, a lot of kids may never have sparked an interest in using their creativity for art. Thankfully, the children and young adults in Pulaski have a friend in the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley.

The Scholastic Art Awards concluded yesterday with a reception after being on display for a short time. Consisting solely of content made by high school students and younger, some of the art on display gave you the feeling of looking at work from an established artist, not someone still in grade school. Nevertheless, visitors to the exhibit were captivated by the skill on show.

After the reception at the Fine Arts Center, the group of artists, family and friends moved across the street for the awards ceremony at the Pulaski Theatre. Shortly before the awards ceremony kicked off, the crowd was treated to a discussion panel with several local arts and culture organizations. Including Kendall Payne from the Adaire Theatre, Robin Brooke from the New River Valley Regional Theatre, Robert Walters from the Ratcliffe Transportation Museum and Jessica McKinney from the Pulaski Theatre, they talked about the importance of continuing to support the arts in the New River Valley and beyond.

All of the students were recognized for their work, either through an honorable mention or doing well enough to progress to competition on a national level. Student artwork was also on sale, with the only pieces unavailable for purchase those that will move on to more competition.

Once again, we'd like to thank the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley for their continued support of young artists in our community, and the Pulaski Theatre for hosting the awards ceremony!