Dougherty Kiwanians hosting state art, music showcase

ALBANY — The Kiwanis Club of Dougherty County is embarking on its 35th year of sponsoring the annual Student Art Competition and Exhibit, but 2015 comes with a special twist. This year, when eight local winners’ works go to Georgia Kiwanis District statewide competition, they won’t have to go out of town to vie.

Albany and the Kiwanis Club of Dougherty County have been selected to host the statewide Kiwanis Art & Music Showcase, an event slated to take place April 25 downtown at the Albany Municipal Auditorium and the adjacent Albany Area Arts Council building (the former Carnegie Library). Top-level-talented young people from across the state will compete for scholarship prizes. Admission to the competition will be free to the public.

In the meantime, though, the local art competition and display preparations are getting under way with entries from public and private schools in Dougherty and Lee counties. Judging for middle and high school art is set for Tuesday, March 10, and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony and reception on March 15 at the Albany Museum of Art. Ribbons will be presented for first-, second- and third-places for grades 6 through 12 as well as the top three “Best in Show” winners.

Elementary school art will not be judged, but will be displayed in the Sears wing of Albany Mall April 6-18. The mall will sponsor a reception honoring the elementary art entries on Friday, April 17, from 4-6 p.m.

On Sunday afternoon, April 19, the elementary art will be removed and middle and high school art will be put on exhibit. Those works – including a “Winners’ Circle” of first through third place finishers near the Old Navy store – will be on display until Sunday afternoon, May 3.

On Monday, May 4, the Kiwanis Club of Dougherty will host the art contest first- through third-place and “Best of Show” winners and their teachers at the club’s annual awards luncheon at the Hilton Garden Inn from noon to 1:45 p.m. The winners will receive cash awards up to $250 and schools with the most winners will earn plaques.

This year is the first in a three-year commitment by Kiwanis of Dougherty to host the statewide art and music event. In addition to highlighting young talent from a wide geographic area, it is also viewed as an opportunity to showcase Albany and what it has to offer visitors.