Maine Arts Commission Calls for Student Art

The Maine Arts Commission, in partnership with the First Lady of Maine Karen Baldacci, is issuing a call for student art for inclusion in the fall 2010 Maine Youth Excellence in Art (MYEA) exhibition at the Maine State Capitol Complex in Augusta. Art teachers from public, private and parochial schools in the state of Maine are invited to submit one piece of two-dimensional artwork that represents artistic excellence from a K-12 student. Selected works will hang for four months in various locations including the Capitol Building, the Blaine House and the office of the Maine Arts Commission. Selected artists will be invited to an opening reception at the Blaine House hosted by the First Lady Karen Baldacci where they will receive a certificate and medallion in recognition of their artistic excellence.

There are approximately 50 spaces available and participation is based on a first-come, first-served basis.

To participate in the program school art teachers must be designated as the MYEA teacher and that person should e-mail John Holdridge at the Maine Arts Commission with any questions and/or a request to participate in the program. Please use the subject heading “MYEA Participation” in your e-mail to John at john.holdridge@maine.gov.

Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail that will include further instructions and all necessary paperwork. Artwork must be received by September 30, 2010 for inclusion in the exhibition.

This call is for two-dimensional artwork only. We prefer artwork that fits the maximum dimension of 18” x 24.” When submitting smaller artwork we ask that it be mounted on an 18” x 24” mat or poster board. There is a combined maximum thickness of 3/16’’ for artwork and mat together. The artwork can be exhibited vertically or horizontally and will be placed in Plexiglas frames that measure 22” x 28” overall. We are unable to mat, unmat or resize submitted artwork. Artwork submitted that does not adhere to our dimensional guidelines will be excluded from the exhibition. The Maine Arts Commission reserves the right to exclude artwork from the exhibition at our discretion.

When the exhibition has been installed, all MYEA teachers will receive notification and an exhibition directory that includes artwork locations within the capitol complex. Invitations to the reception on November 17, 2010 will be sent to student artists’ homes. At the completion of the exhibition all artwork will be repackaged in the original packing materials and returned to your school in the manner it was received.