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Gabriel Riera: 305.375.1706
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Maile Rodriguez: 305.375.1705
maile@miamidade.gov

MAM Hosts Annual Miami-Dade County Public Schools Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition

Reception and Award Ceremony Held at MAM on January 30, 2005
Reception 2 – 4pm
Award Ceremony 3pm
Exhibition on view through February 20

Miami, Florida— Miami Art Museum presents the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition, an annual exhibition of artwork produced by Miami-Dade County Public School students as part of the regional and national Scholastic Art Awards competition. MAM, formerly known as the Center for the Fine Arts, has hosted this regional student exhibition since 1987. The opening reception and award ceremony will take place on January 30, 2005, and the student artworks will be on view through February 20.

At the conclusion of this regional exhibition, sponsored by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, top award-winning artworks are sent to the national program in New York City. Submissions in art and writing are presented for national jury process by 90 regions throughout the United States. A distinguished panel of prominent artists, writers, and arts professionals selects the national awards. National awardees will be honored at the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Ceremony in Carnegie Hall in New York and exhibitions will be presented in both New York and Washington, DC.

“From the beginning, Miami Art Museum has set out to develop close ties with the educational community,” said MAM Director, Suzanne Delehanty. “Today MAM has the largest art museum education program in Miami-Dade County, serving more than 500,000 students, parents and teachers since its inception. This is the 18th year that MAM has presented this student exhibition, in collaboration with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and we look forward to our continued commitment to the program in the years ahead.”

Many of our nations most accomplished artists and writers are alumni of The Scholastic Art Awards, including Richard Avedon, Truman Capote, Frances Farmer, Joyce Maynard, Joyce Carol Oates, Sylvia Plath, Robert Redford, and Andy Warhol.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have celebrated 80 years as a unique presence in our nation's classrooms by identifying and documenting outstanding achievement of young artists and writers in the visual and literary arts. Since 1923, 12 million students have participated, 2 million young artists and writers have been recognized, and $20 million in awards and scholarships have been made available. The awards are administered by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.

Each year, 250,000 students in grades 7 through 12 participate through regional programs and 50,000 students receive regional awards and exhibition opportunities. More than 30,000 entries qualify for national adjudication, and 1,100 young artists and writers across the country receive national awards. The Gold Portfolio Award recipients receive $10,000 scholarships, representing the highest level of achievement in the Awards. Last year, two of the seven National Art Portfolio Gold Award recipients were from Miami-Dade County.

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Press Contact: Maile Rodriguez: 305.375.1705 or maile@miamidade.gov.

Miami Art Museum’s educational programs for young people are supported by Benefactors The Heckscher Foundation for Children, Tina Hills Donors Carnival Corporation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Peacock Foundation, Inc. Sponsors MetLife Foundation, Susan Miller, Ricky Williams Patrons Assurant Solutions, Blank Family Foundation, Inc., Fundación Cisneros, Watsco, Inc. Contributors Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation, Publix Super Markets Charities, Janet and Richard Yulman Supporters BankAtlantic Foundation, Burdines-Macy’s, Miami Salon Group Regional In-kind Sponsor Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Accredited by the American Association of Art Museums, Miami Art Museum is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts; with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners.