Works by Gold Key Winners in the 2017 New York City Scholastic Art & Writing Awards on Display in The Met’s Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education
The nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and The Metropolitan Museum of Art have announced the opening of the third annual New York City Scholastic Art & Writing Awards exhibition at The Met’s Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education. This special exhibition is free and open to the public during regular Museum hours from March 24 through May 29, 2017. There will be an opening evening event for students, family members, and educators on Friday, March 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. with remarks by Virginia McEnerney, Executive Director, Alliance for Young Artists & Writers; and William Crow, Educator in Charge of Teaching and Learning, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This reception is also open to the public.
The exhibition features more than 600 original works of art and writing from New York City-based Gold Key recipients in the 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the country's longest-running and most prestigious award and recognition program for creative teens. The awards have honored distinguished artists since 1923, including Andy Warhol, Cy Twombly, Kay WalkingStick, John Baldessari, Luis Jiménez, and Catherine Murphy, whose works are in The Met collection.
“The Met is excited to host this exhibition for the third year, highlighting the exceptional talents of our City’s youth,” said Sandra Jackson-Dumont, the Museum’s Frederick P. and Sandra P. Rose Chairman of Education. “We are thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of this talented group of young people, and we encourage them to explore their own creativity and find inspiration within the Museum.”
This year, students from all five boroughs in grades seven through twelve submitted almost 11,000 works in 29 categories to the New York City regional program of the Awards, representing more than 300 schools. All works were blindly adjudicated by accomplished creative and literary professionals based on originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal vision or voice. The pieces on display at The Met received top regional awards and are eligible to receive national honors through a second round of judging, which can open further opportunities for exhibition and publication, as well as access to scholarships.
“When a New York City teen has their art or writing displayed in one of the world’s greatest museums, right here in their hometown, the impact is life changing. Students begin to see themselves as real artists and original thinkers and the experience helps kids develop new, creative approaches that they can apply in their current day-to-day experience and beyond,” said Virginia McEnerney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. “The Alliance is honored to have the opportunity to display the work of New York City’s Scholastic Art & Writing Award winners at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.”
The Alliance partners with Parsons School of Design at The New School and Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts to present the regional New York City Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, with additional program support provided by Pratt Institute. The 2017 New York City Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Exhibition at The Met is presented with generous support from The New York Times, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The Maurice R. Robinson Fund, and Scholastic Inc.
To learn more about the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit the Scholastic Media Room online at mediaroom.scholastic.com/artandwriting.
About the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, identifies teenagers with exceptional creative talent and brings their remarkable work to a national audience through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Founded in 1923, the Awards program is the longest-running, most prestigious initiative of its kind, having fostered the creativity and talent of millions of students through recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. artandwriting.org
About The Met
The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in three iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.
Since it was founded in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.
Through its website and social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, The Met expands its visitor experience to people all over the world. For additional information about the Museum, visit www.metmuseum.org.
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March 15, 2017
Contact Meryl Cates
T 212 650 2684
meryl.cates@metmuseum.org
Communications
T 212 570 3951
communications@metmuseum.org
Michael Barrett, Scholastic
T 212 343 6570
mbarrett@scholastic.com
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