NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Scholastic Art Awards is the oldest and most prestigious art competition for young artists. Since 1991 Cheekwood Estate & Gardens has had the honor of presenting the Scholastic Art Awards and Exhibition for Middle Tennessee. Each year creative, imaginative, and talented teens from across middle Tennessee submit over 1,500 works of art in a variety of categories. An exhibition of the award-winning works of art will be on view at Cheekwood in the Frist Learning Center Great Hall from February 3 to March 10, 2024, with the awards ceremonies held in Massey Auditorium in Botanic Hall on February 3, 2024.
Cheekwood receives submissions from students in public schools, private schools, homeschool programs, and other educational programs in the following counties: Bedford, Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Giles, Marshall, Maury; Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson. Students submit photographs of their works online to be judged at Cheekwood by expert panels of jurors. Jurors review the works of art, looking for originality, technical skill, and personal vision.
“It is an honor to showcase the next generation of artists and give the talented Middle Tennessee students a platform to share their artwork,” said President & CEO Jane MacLeod. “Their works of art not only showcase the creative potential of each young artist but also promise to be a source of inspiration for our guests in the month ahead.”
Award Categories
Award Categories include American Vision Awards, Gold Key Awards, Silver Key Awards, and Honorable Mention.
The American Vision Awards is a national-level recognition that showcases the best works of each region. The American Vision nominees in the Middle Tennessee Region receive a Gold Key Certificate and an American Visions Nomination Seal. Of the five nominated works from our region, one is selected in national judging to receive an American Vision Medal, which is the highest regional honor.
Gold Key artwork demonstrates the highest level of achievement in technique, originality, and personal voice. Gold Key Award winners receive a certificate, a lapel pin, and the opportunity to compete nationally in New York City. Gold Key awarded works are displayed in the Frist Learning Center Great Hall during the Scholastic Art Exhibition.
Silver Key artwork demonstrates achievement worthy of recognition on the regional level. Award winners are recognized for the exceptional quality and execution of their artwork and receive a certificate and lapel pin. Silver Key-awarded works are displayed digitally in the Frist Learning Center.
Honorable Mention artworks are accomplished works that show great skill and potential. Award winners are recognized for their skill with a certificate.
Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The Awards give students opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. In 2023, students across the United States and Canada entered more than 300,000 original works in 28 different categories of art and writing. Alumni of the Scholastic Art Awards include artists Andy Warhol, Philip Pearlstein, Cy Twombly, Robert Indiana, Kay WalkingStick, Mozelle Thompson, Hughie Lee-Smith, and John Baldessari.
About Cheekwood
With its intact and picturesque vistas, Cheekwood is distinguished as one of the leading Country Place Era estates in the nation. Formerly the family home of Mabel and Leslie Cheek, the 1930s estate, with its 30,000-square-foot Mansion and 55 acres of gardens, today serves the public as a botanical garden, arboretum, and art museum with furnished period rooms and permanent collection galleries devoted to American art from the 18th to mid-20th centuries. The property includes 13 distinct gardens including the Blevins Japanese Garden and the Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden, as well as a 1.5-mile woodland trail featuring outdoor monumental sculpture. Each year, Cheekwood hosts seasonal festivals including Cheekwood in Bloom, Summertime at Cheekwood, Cheekwood Harvest, and Holiday LIGHTS. Cheekwood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and nationally as a Level II Arboretum. It is a three-time voted USA Today Top 10 Botanical Garden and, in 2021, was recognized by Fodors as one of the 12 Most Beautiful Gardens in the American South. Cheekwood is located eight miles southwest of downtown Nashville at 1200 Forrest Park Drive. It is open Tuesday through Sunday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., with extended days and hours of operation depending on the season. Visit cheekwood.org for current hours and to purchase advance tickets required for admission.
Cheekwood is funded in part by the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Metro Nashville Arts Commission.
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