Scholastic Art And Writing 2021 Winners

Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards

The Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards is an annual juried student art exhibition presented by the Brooks Museum League and the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

What are the Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards?

As an affiliate of the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, the Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards honors exemplary art by students in 7th through 12th grades, recognizing their outstanding achievements in a competitive annual exhibition and providing cash prizes and scholarship opportunities. The Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards is generously sponsored by the Brooks Museum League, which provides both financial support and countless volunteer hours.

The Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards began in 1965 as the Junior Mid-South Exhibition. Since 1989, the Brooks has been proud to partner with the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a national non-profit organization, to host the regional competition and exhibition for Memphis and the Mid-South area. More than 2,000 entries in a wide variety of categories, including painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, sculpture, graphic design, film, fashion, as well as senior art portfolios are judged by a panel of judges over a course of several days. Judging for the competition takes place digitally, through a blind adjudication process involving a panel of regional artists, art educators, and other arts professionals. Regional winners are eligible for scholarships and cash prizes, are part of the exhibition at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, are invited to participate in an awards ceremony at the museum, and have their work sent to New York City for national judging.

When?

You may begin submitting works for the 2022 Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards on Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at artandwriting.org. The deadline for the 2022 Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards is Thursday, December 9, 2021.
Click here for a calendar of important dates.

Who is eligible?

Students in grades *7-12 may submit exemplary visual artwork to the Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards competition. Newly created works of art created from January – December are preferred, however works that didn't win any awards last year may be re-submitted with significant alterations. Previously awarded works CANNOT be re-submitted.

*must be 13+ years of age on or before 10:59 p.m. December 9, 2021.

How do I enter?

All submissions must be completed online, at artandwriting.org. Paperwork must also be turned in, along with fees, to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. For more information about submitting works online and the complete submission process, please see our Mid-South Scholastic FAQs and School Submission Checklist.

Senior Portfolios

Graduating seniors may submit up to two portfolios of work to be considered for awards and for scholarships. Students should submit works that best exemplify originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal vision or voice. Regional and national jurors are often looking at the consistency of the work across the portfolio and an emergent style that is unique, personal, and expressive. Senior portfolios are also reviewed for scholarship consideration by several area colleges and universities.

See these documents for more information about Senior Portfolios:

Mid-South Scholastic FAQs
2021 Mid-South Scholastic Portfolio Form
2021 Mid-South Scholastic Scholarship Information
- Arkansas State University
- Delta State University
- Nossi College of Art
- University of Memphis
- University of Mississippi

When is the regional celebration and exhibition?

The 2022 Mid-South Scholastic Exhibition will be on view at the Brooks Museum of Art from Saturday, January 22 – Sunday, February 20, 2022. Only Gold Key winning artworks will be included in the exhibition.

The awards ceremonies will be held on Saturday, February 19, 2022.

More information about the 2022 Awards Ceremony, including times and location (whether virtual or in-person), will be available this winter.

May I bring my class to view the exhibition?

Due to the global health crisis, self-guided student tours of the Mid-South Scholastic Exhibition may be limited this year. Please contact the museum's tour coordinator for updated guidelines and safety protocols. The 2022 Mid-South Scholastic Exhibition will be on view Saturday, January 22 – Sunday, February 20, 2022.

Other Important Information

Plagiarism
The Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the national organization that organizes the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, take plagiarism very seriously. For a copy of our policy on plagiarism and information about how to avoid it, please click here.

Judging Criteria
On the regional and the national level, jurors consider the following criteria when evaluating artwork submitted for consideration: Originality, Technical Skill, and Emergence of a Personal Style or Vision. For more information about these criteria and the judging process, please visit http://www.artandwriting.org/the-awards/faq/ .

Frequently Asked Questions
Click here for answers to regional Mid-South Scholastic FAQs.

Regional Forms
Be sure to download the appropriate regional forms to complete your Mid-South Scholastic Art Award submissions. NEW! Fee Waiver Forms are now available in the Online Registration System as part of the submission process.