MILWAUKEE.- A total of 372 outstanding works by Wisconsin students grades 7 – 12 comprise the Wisconsin regional, one of 82 regionals held across the country, of the annual Scholastic Art Awards exhibition.  The exhibition is on view at the Milwaukee Art Museum January 31 - February 28.  Gold Key winning artworks are exhibited in the Pieper Gallery; Silver Key winning artworks are exhibited in the Cudahy Gallery.  Students from 117 schools throughout the state entered this competition; works by students from 89 schools were juried into the exhibition.

The Scholastic competition and exhibition is the regional section of The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards National Program conducted nationally by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, Inc., and is the major competition for students in grades 7 - 12. This exhibition includes works in 17 media categories selected from 1,695 entries by a jury of 23 artists, educators and administrators. Student artists whose work was selected for the exhibition were awarded 125 Gold Key (sent on to national competition) and 247 Silver Key (special state recognition) awards.  The prestigious American Vision Award Nominees (5 top of show awards) and Bronze Medallion of Excellence were also chosen.  The awards are presented at a private ceremony on Saturday, January 31 at the Milwaukee Art Museum. The regional Gold Key winning artworks will advance to The National Scholastic Art Awards competition.  The national awards ceremony will be held in June at Carnegie Hall in NYC and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. will host the national exhibition. The Scholastic Art Awards-Wisconsin Regional is sponsored by the Milwaukee Art Museum; Suzanne and Richard Pieper Family Foundation; and Avis and Jim Heller.