Polk Museum of Art Hosts 98th Annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Lakeland, FL (December 3, 2020) – The Polk Museum of Art is excited to announce that it will be hosting the nationally-renowned 98th Annual Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for the Polk County, Florida Art Region. Presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the Scholastic Awards initiative invites students grades 7-12 (ages 13 and up) to submit their original works produced across all media (from writing to fine art) to have a chance to have their work recognized in the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program.  

Since 1923, the Awards have celebrated and fostered student creativity of all forms, and distinguished award recipients have included world-famous writers and artists, including author Stephen King and Pop artist Andy Warhol. With the opportunity for the Polk Museum to host the competition and to exhibit submitted works from throughout Polk County, regional students will now have the amazing chance to count themselves among the ranks of some of the most well-known artists of all time. Indeed, in the 2020 program year, nearly 300,000 works were submitted, and more than 2,900 students received national recognition for their creative works and writings.

“We are honored to host this prestigious program for Polk County students,” said Education Manager Ellen Chastain. “The Polk Museum has a long, successful history of promoting the arts through programs specifically designed for our youth, but none quite as large as this one. This year will mark the first of what we hope to be a long affiliation with Scholastic and its Annual Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program.” 

Public, private, and homeschool students are encouraged to submit original work in 28 different art and writing categories, including painting, printmaking, fashion design, poetry, flash fiction, architecture, and more. Once submitted, students will have a chance to have their work displayed at the Polk Museum of Art, win scholarships, and see their work recognized nationally.

“The Polk Museum of Art is at its core an educational institution. Our reason for being is to encourage creative thinking and engagement with the arts across all disciplines,” explained Dr. Alex Rich, Executive Director and Chief Curator. “Our partnership with Scholastic only underscores our tireless commitment to using the space of the Museum and the world of the arts to foster intellectual, artistic, and emotional growth in all who partake in our resources — and in this case, our community’s teenagers, who represent the best and brightest of our future.”

The deadline for submissions is December 13. For more information or to submit works, visit https://polkmuseumofart.org/scholastic. Award winners will be announced in March 2021. Support for the Scholastic Student Exhibition comes from Joy and Mike Martin. 

For any additional questions or information, please contact Ellen Chastain, Education Manager, at echastain@polkmuseumofart.org or 863-688-7743 ex. 227, or Taylor Holycross at tholycross@polkmuseumofart.org or 863-688-7743 ex. 249.

About the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College

The Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College is a not-for-profit, teaching museum that seeks to enhance lives through inspirational and engaging art experiences for all. It is the largest and only nationally accredited visual arts organization in Polk County and the only Smithsonian Affiliate art museum in Central Florida. The Museum’s COVID hours are Tuesdays–Saturdays 10 am to 3 pm and closed Sunday, Monday, and major holidays. The facility is handicapped accessible and special needs assistance is available. Admission is free, thanks to our strategic partner, The Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation.

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