This year, for the first time, the Creative Arts Center will include categories for children in their Annual Art Show & Contest.  Art will be accepted from August 27 through September 3. The gallery will close at noon and judging will be between noon and 5:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon, September 5.

The gallery will reopen with the winners awarded at 5:00 p.m. for a two-hour opening reception. Paintings, drawings, hand-pulled prints and other artwork to be hung must be framed and wired for hanging. Canvases not framed must have gallery-wrapped edges with the staples not showing. Other Rules and Regulations, information on fees and other details are available on the website at www.creativeartscenter.us. Entry forms can be downloaded as well. 

Youth categories for artists under 18 will be: painting, drawing, 3-Dimensional (including sculpture, pottery, wood pieces, etc.), Mixed Media and Photography.  Adult categories will be Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, 3D, Photography, Mixed Media, Drawing, Hand-pulled Prints, Metal and Jewelry. Categories may be combined, depending upon the number of entries. Prize money will be awarded to first place in each category and ribbons will be awarded to first, second and third places.   

The Creative Arts Center hopes this art contest will be bigger than ever. Executive Director Lisa Avila is excited that kids will be included.

"There are many talented young artists in our community, and we are so pleased to be able to offer categories for them in this year's contest. We have our sponsors the Fernandes to thank and we are very grateful. I hope the word gets out and we have a lot of entries," Avila said. "Contests like this give artists a chance to display their work and have it judged by another artist. The awards are less important than the process."

For more information on this exhibit and the many other programs at the Creative Arts Center, call 903-640-2196.