What is it?

ArtWorks: A Visual Arts Coalition is offering a grant for up to $500 to a high school art

instructor.  The purpose of the grant is to help 11th and 12th grade high school students learn the process of creating a visual arts exhibition under the guidance of the school’s art instructor.  This is to be a “learn by doing” process to help students develop skills in decision making, problem solving, managing, creative thinking, and working as a team.  

Artworks’ volunteers will be available to visit the instructor’s art class to provide upfront guidance with the exhibition.

Eligibility Requirements:

• The grant is available for high schools located within the ten county BRADD area (Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalf, Monroe, Simpson and Warren).

• The students involved in the production of the exhibition are to be in the 11th and/or 12th grade. If chosen, younger high school students may have their artwork displayed in the show, but the show’s creation is to be produced by 11th and 12th graders.

• Students may choose to have an open exhibition or a themed exhibition.

• A minimum of 15 students must participate in all aspects of the exhibition.  Each student must exhibit at least one piece of art.The exhibition must be held in a venue other than the school, open to the public, and must be available for viewing for three or more days.  The exhibition will be for the benefit of students and the public in and around the region.  The exhibition must be held prior to the end of April, 2011.
 
• School and board policies must be adhered to with regards to the exhibition.

• Artworks and The Young Artist Grant Program shall receive credit for underwriting the exhibition.  The board of directors of Artworks shall serve as the granting committee for the Young Artist Grant Program.

Students, with teacher guidance, will be responsible for planning this professional exhibition. Following is a typical list of items to consider during the planning stages.
1. Decide student eligibility and number of art pieces each student may enter.
2. Determine if the artwork may be offered for sale and if a percentage of sales should be donated to the school art program or to a charity chosen by the group.
3. Determine how the art is to be received by the exhibition producers (e.g. size, framed, ready to hang with wire, etc.).
4. Locate a venue and determine the cost, if any, and how the art is to be displayed (e.g. hung on walls, attached to partitions, displayed on easels, etc.).
5. Market the exhibition through public service announcements from local media (e.g., local papers, appear on local television programs, create student posters and flyers for public areas, send ads out via email, etc.).
6. Determine prize levels and locate judges.  Prize examples: Best in Show; People’s Choice; 1st and 2nd place in different mediums (e.g. oil, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, 3D, etc.).
7. Plan for and coordinate the opening night reception.
Please include a letter of approval/support from your school’s administrator. Applications should be postmarked on or before October 15 and mailed to:

If you have questions, please email Kay Zoretic, Chair of the Young Artist Grant Program or call 270-791-8193.

Download an application

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We’re All Winners – A Student Created Art Exhibit – “Frozen Seconds”

 Several months ago, the Young Artist Grant Program Committee of Artworks, Inc., met and created the Young Artist Grant Program.    Applications were written up and principals in all the high schools in the BRADD 10 county area were notified of the opportunity available to their art teachers. 
Brian Alexander, Principal of Edmonson County High School informed art teacher, Edd Williams, of the opportunity and he was chosen as the recipient the grant.  He is a veteran teacher – but this is only his second year as an art teacher.  In addition to teaching art, Williams is continuing as the psychology and sociology teacher.   He received $500.00 from Artworks, Inc., for the purpose of helping students learn how to produce a professional style art exhibit.

Williams shared his feelings about receiving the grant, “I was very pleased to be selected – I have really talented students and I want the community to share our pride in them. This opportunity has given them a new goal - and created some excitement.  I would encourage all high school teachers to apply for this grant.”*
One of the students, Zedi Rose, agreed.  “This grant has made our instruction a part of the real world.   We have goals and deadlines – just like we will as adults.”

As a part of the grant, students had many decisions to make and one of the first was choosing a  theme for their exhibit.   Rebecca Pittman and Rachael Miller (the president and vice-president of the Art Club) suggested “Frozen Seconds” as the theme, and a consensus was reached quickly.   In a discussion about how students chose their subject to fit into the theme, Jacob Lindsey said that he “just wanted to create something beautiful and original”, and his choice seemed to fit the theme perfectly – a girl emerging from a swimming pool with her hair leaving a beautiful trail of water in the air.

As the grant’s purpose was to help students learn about the myriad of requirements involved in a well styled art exhibit they needed to secure a location for their exhibit that would be away from the school campus, find a way to publicize their exhibit, complete the actual task of displaying the artwork, create a plan for a opening or closing ceremony/reception, secure judges, and decide on the awards to be given.  

The students decided on a multi-media show with sculpture, collage, pen and/or pencil, and acrylic works.  They decided on the library as the location for their exhibit.  Both the students and Mr. Williams said that the library was excited about the prospect of having the event there.   “Our library is new, and they are excited about having another reason to invite people to visit.  They are looking forward to the exhibit”, Williams said.

When asked about his reasons for applying for the grant, Mr. Williams stated that art had been an important part of the instructional program at Edmonson County High School since the late 60s or early 70s when it was begun by Dale “Doc” Gray.  Mr. Williams stated that he wanted his community to have a more clear idea of the level of artistic talent of his students.  “Displays and exhibits of student art in the school are nice, but they really don’t reach the community at large.”

The students were eager to share their excitement about the grant – preparing for the exhibit gave them additional practice requirements, it forced them to create variety and broaden their focus with subject material, and also gave them another venue for sharing their artwork with the community.   They indicated that they had never been able to exhibit their work anywhere except at school and on the internet.

The judges for the event will be Dale “Doc” Gray and Phyllis Miller, both former art teachers, and Jill Skaggs, art teacher at Edmonson County Middle School.
Work will be judged on originality, concept and content as it relates to the theme, expressive use of medium, craftsmanship/technique.  There will be awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and also, a “People’s Choice Award”.   Their plan is to hold their exhibit at:
Edmonson County High School has a student body of approximately 600 students and four different art classes available to students.  Approximately 170 students have been given art instruction this year.