Albany Area Arts Council hosting South Georgia College Art Competition

ALBANY — Albany Area Arts Council is hosting its 14th annual South Georgia College Art Competition at its Carnegie Library Gallery in downtown Albany this month.

The opening reception and awards ceremony, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Friday, is free and open to the public. The exhibit will be open Thursday through Nov. 21.

Held annually by the Arts Council, the competition is an exhibition of college-level artwork created by students in the south Georgia region. The show features work by students from Albany State University and Valdosta State University, and the mission of the show is to provide art students with a venue to display their works, hands-on experience with professional practices, an opportunity to network with their peers and a chance to sell their works if they so choose.

“I look forward to this event every year. It is a privilege to work with the universities and their students,” Nicole Williams, director of the AAAC, said. “I can think of no better way to further our mission than by facilitating an opportunity for students to engage with one another and their community through a medium of their own creation.”

The exhibition also offers students a public forum to interact with their community as professional contributors. Awards will be presented in six categories — painting, drawing, photography, graphics and printmaking, sculpture, and ceramics — at Friday’s opening.

Williams said this year’s judge is Joe Sanders, who is experienced in printmaking, bookmaking and mixed media installation art. He graduated with a master of fine arts from Arizona State University after earning his bachelor of fine arts at Florida State University.

The gallery is located at 215 N. Jackson St. The exhibition will be on display during during normal gallery hours, which are noon-4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays and noon-8 p.m. Thursdays.

Contact the Arts Council at (229) 439-2787 or visit www.albanyartscouncil.org.