Missouri High School Artists "Go 4 It!" in New State Fair Contest

(SEDALIA, Mo.) – Missouri high school artists will have an opportunity to be recognized for work in the field of fine arts in a competition offered for the first time this year at the Missouri State Fair. Under the direction of the fair’s newly appointed fine arts superintendent Linda Hoover, a Missouri Junior 50’s Art Competition will be offered; entry forms for this and other competitions became available on the fair’s web site May 5.

"To encourage youth to pursue their interest in fine arts, I thought a competition for high school age students would be a valuable addition to the fair," Hoover said. "The fair has offered a Missouri 50’s Art Competition to those ages 18 and over for several years, so it seemed logical to extend a similar contest to a younger group of artists."

Entries in the youth competition will be juried down to 50 pieces, according to Hoover, which will then be judged by Sedalia’s Daum Museum Director Thomas Pische. Four pieces will receive a $100 cash award with all 50 on display for public viewing for the duration of the fair August 7 to 17.

The fee to enter up to two pieces of work in the junior division is $5, Hoover said, and entries can be dropped off at the Fine Arts Building on the fairgrounds on May 17 and July 26 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on both dates. Eligibility, rules and entry forms for the competition are now available at the fair’s web site www.mostatefair.com under Premium Guide, which is a comprehensive guide for all interested exhibitors in any of the fair competitions.

For specific questions regarding the Fine Arts Department and its 2008 competitions, e-mail hoovers@dishmail.net. The Missouri State Fair is located in Sedalia, and this year’s theme is "Go 4 It!", dates are August 7 to 17.