Milwaukee, Wis. – January 24, 2023 – The Milwaukee Art Museum today announced it will present award-winning artwork by creative teens from Wisconsin for the 2023 Scholastic Art Awards: Wisconsin Exhibition. The annual juried exhibition, which the Museum has hosted for the Wisconsin region since 1976, recognizes excellence in the visual arts and encourages the artistic endeavors of young people throughout the United States. On view February 4–March 19 in the Museum’s Schroeder Galleria, the exhibition will showcase more than 350 works by students in grades 7–12 from schools across the state. In addition, works by past Scholastic Art Award recipients from the Museum’s collection, including work by Harry Bertoia, Robert Indiana, Cy Twombly, John Wilde, and Andy Warhol, will be highlighted throughout the permanent collection galleries.
“We are thrilled to continue the Museum’s decades-long tradition of hosting the Scholastic Art Awards regional exhibition and championing the creative achievements of talented young artists from all around Wisconsin,” said Amy Kirschke, Barbara Brown Lee Senior Director of Learning and Engagement. “It is truly wonderful for the Museum to introduce a new generation of artists to the community, providing them with a platform at this important moment in their artistic journey and fostering their continued growth and advancement.”
Each year, a jury of regional arts professionals, including artists, university faculty, and gallerists, select the awarded works from approximately 2,500 submissions across 16 categories: Architecture & Industrial Design, Ceramics & Glass, Comic Art, Design, Digital Art, Drawing & Illustration, Editorial Cartoon, Expanded Projects, Fashion, Film & Animation, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture. The exhibition features work spanning mediums from painting to design.
This year, the Wisconsin competition had 2,574 individual entries. Of those, 211 entries were given special state recognition with a Silver Key, and 144 entries were awarded a Gold Key. Out of 113 senior art portfolios submitted, 10 Silver Keys and 7 Gold Keys were awarded. Gold Key artworks and portfolios will be sent to New York later this year and judged for national Silver and Gold Medals. A complete list of Wisconsin award winners can be found on the Scholastic Art & Writing Award website.
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Since its inception in 1923, the annual program has been a space for teens to push boundaries and make waves with their creative pursuits. The award encourages the passions, talents, and perspectives of millions of teens, validating their creative abilities and the belief that their voices matter. Visitors are invited to explore the permanent collection galleries to discover and find inspiration in the work of past Scholastic Art Award recipients represented in the Museum’s collection, including many renowned American postwar and contemporary artists.
Access to the 2023 Scholastic Art Awards: Wisconsin Exhibition is free to the public. A general admission charge is required to enter most Museum galleries and exhibition spaces.