FAQs for Students 2011-12
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Program FAQ
Submissions FAQ
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Who is eligible to participate in the Scholastic Art Awards Program?
Students must be in grades 7 – 12 and enrolled in a public, private, parochial, home-school, or after-school program for the 2012 – 2013 school year in the following Virginia cities and counties: Charles City, Chesapeake, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Franklin, Isle of Wight, Goochland, Hampton, Hanover, Henrico, Hopewell, King William, New Kent, Newport News, Norfolk, Petersburg, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Powhatan, Prince George, Richmond City, Southampton, Surry, Sussex, Virginia Beach, West Point, Williamsburg, and York. NEW Additions for 2012-2013 include: Albemarle, Caroline, Charlottesville, Culpepper, Essex, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Fredericksburg, Gloucester, Greene, King and Queen, King George, Lancaster, Loudoun, Louisa, Madison, Manassas County, Manassas Park, Mathews, Middlesex, Nelson, Northumberland, Orange, Prince William, Rappahannock, Richmond County, Spotsylvania, Suffolk City, Suffolk County, and Westmoreland.
Note: Artwork created in the spring semester of 2012 is eligible for submission. Students should submit in their current grade level. Seniors who graduated in June 2012 are NOT eligible to participate. Seniors graduating mid-term in December 2012 may participate. Both independent artworks and work created in the classroom are eligible for submission.
How do I apply to The Scholastic Art Awards if I am homeschooled or do not have an art teacher?
Ask a parent, coach, community center leader, guidance counselor, school administrator, or tutor to serve as your sponsor in the submission process. A sponsor must register before you in the Online Registration System (ORS) and have a valid email address.
What if I cannot afford the submission fee?
Students who are eligible for the National Free or Reduced-Price Lunch Program or students for whom fees are a barrier to participation are not required to pay the submission fee. A teacher or administrator must submit a letter on school letterhead stating why you qualify for a fee waiver. Please attach the letter to the submission form in place of the submission fee. This letter should read: The Scholastic Art Awards fee of [amount] presents a barrier for [student’s name]’s participation in the 2012 program year. Please waive the fee.
What if I do not have a valid email address?
You must have a valid email address in order to successfully complete the submission process. There are several free email providers: www.gmail.com, www.hotmail.com, www.yahoo.com. Please visit one of these sites and set up a free email account before registering. You may also use a parent or guardian's email address.
Is there a specific theme I have to address?
There are no restrictions on content or subject matter in The Scholastic Art Awards. You may approach any subject you choose. Additional awards are offered to students who respond to bullying or grief or incorporate new materials and technologies into their creations. Please visit the Alliance's website for more information about the Creative Concept Awards.
Can I create work by rendering from photographs?
Creating work from photographs is allowed in The Scholastic Art Awards if you have taken the image. Rendering from copyrighted images is not permitted and will be disqualified.
If I create a work with 2-D media such as pencil and paint, is that considered Mixed Media?
No. Mixed media consists of collage or assemblage where materials added together protrude from the 2-D plane. A work done with both painting and drawing must be submitted in only one of those categories.
How do I submit work under the Video Game category?
Video Games are submitted directly to The Alliance by either uploading to The Alliance Online Registration System (ORS) or by saving on CD-ROM and mailing to The Alliance. Through a partnership with E-line Media, you may create playable games through The Scholastic Awards Edition of Gamestar Mechanic. Students will be required to submit an excerpt of their film/video/animation work up to five minutes. The excerpt may be a trailer, the first five minutes of the film, or another edited representation of the film. Students will also be asked to submit a written summary of the film.
How do I choose which works to include in an Art Portfolio submission?
You should submit your best works that exemplify originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal vision. Jurors are often looking for the consistency of artwork/photography across the portfolio. Please note- the previous categories of art and photography portfolio have been combined. All senior portfolios will be submitted under the Art Portfolio category, regardless of the categories of the individual works included in the portfolio. If a work does not have a title, it must be listed as “Untitled” followed by the appropriate number; for example Untitled 1. Works within a portfolio will not be adjudicated individually. Students submitting a portfolio must also include an artist statement. Please also review Judging Rubric for Art and Photography Portfolios, referenced by the jurors.
When is the application deadline? Where do I submit my work?
The deadline for submitting work is Jan 7, 2013. To begin the registration process, visit Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Registration. For more detailed information on how to apply, please visit the VMFA Submission Guidelines for Students and Teachers.
When/how will I be notified if I receive a regional award? Do students who are not award winners receive feedback?
Regional Award notifications will be sent out on Jan 16, 2013. Because of the volume of works reviewed in The Awards, we will not be providing feedback to individual students. Only students receiving an award will receive notification.
Do students receive scholarships for regional awards or for national awards?
No regional scholarships will be given. On the national level, the Alliance offers $1,000 scholarships for Notable Achievement Portfolios and fifteen $10,000 scholarships for Portfolio Gold Award recipients. Graduating seniors receiving national awards in individual categories and portfolio categories are eligible to seek funding from the colleges and universities in the Alliance Scholarship Provider Network. Scholarships range from $1,000 to full-ride tuition. Students in grades 7 – 11 who receive regional Gold Keys may apply for $2,500 scholarships to summer art intensive programs/workshops through The Alliance for Young Arts & Writers. For more information, please visit What You Can Win.
Who selects Award winners?
The integrity and prestige of The Awards selection process is dependent on having reputable regional and national jurors. These include professional artists, teachers, art administrators, and creative professionals. A list of jurors will be added after Jan 7, 2013.
What happens to Gold Key work?
National adjudication of Gold Key work takes place in New York City in February 2013where professional panels of jurors review the work and assign Silver and Gold Medals. National Medalists will be notified of their Awards in March 2013. Please visit The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for more information on the national level.
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In which categories can I submit work?
The following categories will be available for judging:
1. Architecture
2. Comic Art
3. Ceramic & Glass
4. Digital Art
5. Design
6. Drawing
7. Fashion
8. Film & Animation
9. Jewelry
10. Mixed Media
11. Painting
12. Photography
13. Printmaking
14. Sculpture
15.Video Game*
*National adjudication only. For questions specifically about Video Games, please email videogames@artandwriting.org.
The following category are for high school seniors only:
1. Art Portfolio
Click here for details regarding individual categories.
May I submit more than one work of art?
There is no limit to the number of digital submissions an individual may upload for adjudication.
How do I prepare my work for submission?
Each artwork must be submitted as a JPEG file. Print dimensions must be 5 x 7 in. or larger. Image resolution must be 300 dpi. Darkroom photography may be scanned at 100% and submitted as a digital photo or JPEG file. Submitted artworks must be no larger than 4 x 4 ft. No physical works will be accepted for adjudication. The quality of your photograph is very important. Please reference the following document for detailed instructions:
Step by Step How to Photograph Your Work
3-D artwork, mixed media, and graphic story works may include additional detail shots. When taking digital pictures of 3-D works, please include a ruler or another object for reference to indicate scale. You are strongly encouraged to take multiple shots.
How do I prepare my art or photography portfolio for submission?
Graduating seniors are each allowed to submit a body of eight artworks from any category or combination of categories as an Art Portfolio or eight photographs as a Photography Portfolio. If a work does not have a title, it must be listed as “Untitled” followed by the appropriate number; for example Untitled 1. Works within a portfolio will not be adjudicated individually. Students submitting a portfolio must also include an artist statement.
Is there a submission fee?
Students pay a fee of $5 per individual work submitted and $20 per portfolio submission. This registration fee may be paid by phone, online, or mailed along with the signed submission forms from the teacher/sponsor. Payment may be made in the form of check, cash, or money order and sent to:
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Attn: Penny Arvin-Arrighi
200 N. Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23220
VMFA can accept checks or money orders made out to the "Virginia Museum of Fine Arts." VMFA accepts all major credit cards for phone or online payments. A printed receipt for payments made online should be mailed in with all submission forms.
Please note: Students who are eligible for the National Free or Reduced-Price Lunch Program or students for whom fees are a barrier to participation are not required to pay the submission fee. A teacher or administrator must submit a letter on school letterhead. This letter should read: The Scholastic Art Awards fee of [amount] presents a barrier for [student’s name]’s participation in the 2012 program year. Please waive the fee. Please attach the letter to the submission form in place of the submission fee.
No refunds will be offered in the event of overpay or failure to complete submission. All overpayments will be considered a donation to the program.
Before I submit my work, what does my art teacher or sponsor need to do?
Teachers must register themselves through the Online Registration System and verify that your school is included in the ORS system. Teachers must have a valid email address in order to successfully register. Teachers may use last year's login and password to access their account.
How do I submit my work?
Students must have a valid email address to apply. As an affiliate of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, VMFA will be accepting all submissions digitally. Actual works may not be mailed or delivered to the museum. To submit your work, please register by visiting the Online Registration System.
Students must have the following information ready before registering:
«Your Date of Birth
«Your Email
«Your Name
«Parent Name
«School Name
«School Address
«Your Address
«Grade
«Home Telephone
«Teacher or Sponsor Name
«Teacher or Sponsor Email
After completing registration and digital image upload, print the submission form and obtain all required signatures. Students must mail the original, completed form and the processing fee to:
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Attn: Penny Arvin-Arrighi
200 N. Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23220
Payment and forms can also be hand-delivered to the Pauley Center, which is located on Sheppard Street behind the museum. The Pauley Center is open Mon – Fri, 9 am – 7 pm; Sat, 9 am – 4 pm; and closed on Sundays.
You may begin submitting works on Sep 17, 2012. The last day to submit works is Jan 7, 2013.
What do I win?
Regional awards include American Visions, Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention.
American Visions Awards Nominees: Regional affiliates nominate five Gold Key artworks as “Best of Show.” These works are reviewed in a special adjudication for the American Visions Award. One National American Visions Award recipient is recognized nationally from each region.
Gold Key: The Gold Key, The Scholastic Art Awards’ symbol of achievement, is awarded to the best works in each region. These works will go on to the national level of The Scholastic Art Awards and will be eligible for further adjudication. VMFA will host an exhibition and ceremony in February 2013 for Gold and Silver Key winners.
Silver Key: The Silver Key is awarded to artwork demonstrating achievement worthy of recognition on the regional level. Students are recognized with Silver Key lapel pins and certificates, which will be presented to them at the ceremony in February 2013. Silver Key work will also be displayed on the VMFA website.
Honorable Mention: This award goes to artwork demonstrating creative potential. This award will be mailed to students.
How will my work be judged?
Jurors on both regional and national levels will look for works that exemplify the Alliance’s core criteria:
1. Originality: Jurors will look for works that reveal an original approach to process, concept, subject matter, and transcend the parameters of a “classroom assignment.” Exploration of materials, techniques and/or themes should reflect the input of the student in the creative process.
2. Technical Skill: Jurors will look for mastery of a particular medium. Technical proficiency may vary by the medium, grade group, and by the quality of the overall group of work submitted for adjudication. Jurors will look for inventive application of techniques and should be sensitive to works that demonstrate the artist’s willingness to take risks and to experiment with materials, form, and content.
3. Emergence of a Personal Vision and Voice: Jurors will look for evidence of the emergence of an individual’s artistic vision or style and the visual expression of tone, form, critical thinking, and concept. Jurors will look for work that represents a sense of the student or works that are individualistic in their presentation, execution, or ideas. Jurors will ask, “Do I come away from the work feeling like I know something about the artist who created it?”
Artwork adjudication will take place on Jan 12, 2013. Please see the judging rubrics that will be referenced by the jurors for more information:
Judging Rubric Grade Grouping I
Judging Rubric Grade Grouping II
Judging Rubric Grade Grouping III
Judging Rubric for Art and Photography Portfolios
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How do I begin the online registration process?
Before beginning the registration process, you must have a valid email address. Visit the Online Registration System (ORS) and click on "Student" to begin registration. Please have the information listed in the How do I submit my work? on hand to further the process.
I’ve started to register, but can’t find my school in the system. What do I do?
Please notify your teacher and ask them to contact Jessica Bauserman at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts with your school’s information. Once the school has been verified and added to the system, you will receive an email prompting you to register. Allow three business days to process and upload your school’s information.
I am still working on my submission. Should I wait until I have finished to register?
You should register as soon as possible, providing the available information about your work. If the title changes, or if you change the materials used for an artwork, you can always log back into the system and click on "Edit Works" to update the information. Remember to upload the JPEG image of your completed work before the deadline on Jan 7, 2013. Submissions without the required images will not advance to adjudication.
I’ve registered, but I can’t remember my email or password. What do I do?
Click on the "forgot email or password" link on the registration login screen, and you will be prompted to provide information that will retrieve your email address and/or password.
I am having trouble with the online registration website. Who should I contact?
The Online Registration System can sometimes take time to load and may load incorrectly the first time. Hit "refresh" or "back" on your internet portal to allow the system time to properly load the page content. Additional troubleshooting tactics include using a different web browser such as Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer.
If the problem persists, please contact Jessica Bauserman,Teen Program Coordinator, at 804.340.1573 or jessica.bauserman@vmfa.museum.
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