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44th annual art show kicks off July 13
HOT SPRINGS - The Bath County Art Show has been a highlight of Bath County's summer season for more than four decades, bringing together artists, art lovers and the curious to view and purchase works of fine art in a variety of mediums. This year's show, now in its 44th year, will be held at Valley Elementary School from Sunday, July 13 through Sunday, July 20, 1-5 p.m. each day. Admission is free.
The show is Bath County Arts Association's major annual fund-raiser. All proceeds from sales are used to support community programs like Bath County schools' Student Art Network and supplemental art instruction, school band camp scholarships and instruments, the Missoula Children's Theatre, $1,500 art scholarships to graduating seniors, and a number of concerts throughout the year including the Bluegrass Jamboree.
Each year, the association committee chooses a well-re- spected expert to judge the art in a variety of mediums, with special awards including best in show, best floral, best Virginian rivers and streams, and best traditional landscape, totaling more than $9,000 in prizes. The association committee has announced Jacquelyn D. Serwer, chief curator for the National Museum of African American History and Culture from the Smithsonian Institution, as this year's judge.
"We are honored and excited to have an art expert of her caliber," says Cathy Singleton, co-chairman for the association. "We have had excellent judges in the past, and each time we bring in someone of Jacquelyn's stature, the show becomes more popular with regional artists, which, in turn, attracts a larger audience. We've had a record number of requests for applications this year from artists all over the region."
In 2008 alone, the arts association has paid for more than $50,000 in programs in the community. "With the increasingly generous support of our donors, who are now over 250 strong, and the growing popularity of the show, we will continue to increase the amount of funding, and the number of programs we can offer the community," says Singleton. "But, supporting programs is only one benefit to our community. The show gives local artists of all skill levels the opportunity to display their art, and provides a quality cultural experience for our residents." Singleton adds the show also brings in tourists throughout the week.
Artists over 18 years of age interested in displaying their work can request an application by emailing ammo@tds.net. The art show committee will receive art at VES on Saturday, July 5 and Sunday, July 6, from 1-5 p.m. All applications should be completely filled out and submitted upon registration.
For more information, call Singleton at 540-839-2139.
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