Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford, and Andy Warhol.

Students in grades 7-12 (age 13 and up) submit their art which is then judged by a panel of local artists and art professionals. Artworks are eligible for the highest award of Gold Key, followed by a Silver Key, or an Honorable Mention based on originality, technical skill, and an emergence of a personal vision. Along with going on to compete in the national competition, select works will be shown in a joint exhibition presented by the Nevada Museum of Art and The Lilley Museum of Art, the School of the Arts, and the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Nevada, Reno.

2023 Award Recipients

Gold Key Works
On view at Sheppard Contemporary | Church Fine Arts, University of Nevada, Reno
Gallery Hours: Thursday – Saturday, 3 – 6 pm
Parking is available at the Brian J. Whalen Parking Complex, bottom floor.

American Visions Nominated Works
On view at Nevada Museum of Art / Donald W. Reynolds Grand Hall

Award Ceremony
Nightingale Concert Hall | Church Fine Arts, University of Nevada, Reno
Thursday, February 16, 2023 / 6 – 7 pm

We invite Gold and Silver Key award recipients to be honored during this special ceremony. All invited guests are encouraged to register for the Award Ceremony by February 8, 2023 to attend.

Sponsors
City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission
The Hearst Foundations
Nell J. Redfield Foundation
Heidimarie Rochlin
Wild Women Artists

Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford, and Andy Warhol.

Students in grades 7-12 (age 13 and up) submit their art which is then judged by a panel of local artists and art professionals. Artworks are eligible for the highest award of Gold Key, followed by a Silver Key, or an Honorable Mention based on originality, technical skill, and an emergence of a personal vision. Along with going on to compete in the national competition, select works will be shown in a joint exhibition presented by the Nevada Museum of Art and The Lilley Museum of Art, the School of the Arts, and the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Nevada, Reno.

2022 Award Recipients

Gold Key Works
On view at Sheppard Contemporary / Church Fine Arts building, University of Nevada, Reno

Parking is available at the Brian J. Whalen Parking Complex, bottom floor.

American Visions Nominated Works
On view at Nevada Museum of Art / Donald W. Reynolds Grand Hall

Award Ceremony
Nightingale Concert Hall / Church Fine Arts building, University of Nevada, Reno
Thursday, February 10, 2022 / 6 – 7 pm

We invite Gold and Silver Key award recipients to be honored during this special ceremony. All invited guests are required to RSVP to Jacque Dawson by February 1, 2022 to attend. Due to limited space, Gold and Silver Key award-winning students may RSVP with up to two guests and educators may bring one guest.

Sponsors
Anonymous
City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission
Nell J. Redfield Foundation
Wild Women Artists

Inspired by abstract geometric paintings, fiber art, stained glass windows, fashion design, and the colors and contour lines of the natural landscape, Rachel Hayes has created fiber-art installations that cover sand dunes, cross rivers, and billow over mountains. For this unique project, Hayes was commissioned by the Nevada Museum of Art to design a new site-specific installation for the Donald W. Reynolds Grand Hall.  “My thoughts were to create a color field installation that would cascade, billow, and flow…using a grouping of colors inspired by sunset in the Nevada sky,” she said.

Rachel Hayes was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lives and works in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She received her B.F.A. in Fiber from the Kansas City Art Institute, and her M.F.A. in Painting from Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2018, Hayes collaborated with the Italian fashion house Missoni, which culminated in a solo exhibition for Milan Design Week, as well as a site-specific installation at the flagship Missoni boutique on Madison Avenue in New York. She has exhibited her work at institutions including the SculptureCenter in New York City; Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY; the Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke, VA; and the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site, Cornish, NH.  Recently, she completed a site-specific installation with Istanbul’74 during the 16th Contemporary Istanbul, Turkey.

Major Sponsors

Eleanor and Robert Preger
Six Talents Foundation

Sponsors

Maureen Mullarkey and Steve Miller
Volunteers in Art of the Nevada Museum of Art
Whittier Trust, Investment and Wealth Management

Reko Rennie (Gamilaroi/Gamilaraay people) was born in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia, where he lives today. Rennie explores his Aboriginal identity through a broad array of media, including spray paint, prints, sculpture, paste-ups, light projections and site-specific installations. Through his art he provokes discussion surrounding Indigenous culture and identity in contemporary urban environments. Largely autobiographical, his commanding works combine the iconography of his heritage with stylistic elements of graffiti.

Merging traditional diamond-shaped designs, hand-drawn symbols and repetitive patterning to subvert romantic notions of Aboriginal identity, Rennie often uses camouflage patterns to reference the ways in which Aboriginal people have had to hide, blend in, and conceal their identity.

In Australia, Always Was Always Will Be is a familiar and important protest chant, often used by Aboriginal people in demonstrations. The phrase adapted by Rennie as the title of this site-specific mural serves as a reminder that Australia was, and always will be, Aboriginal land. Says the artist, “It’s an important reminder, and also an acknowledgment to the communities of the Washoe, Paiute, and Western Shoshone, who call the Great Basin home.”

Reno-based mural artist Erik Burke assisted Rennie with the realization of Always Was Always Will Be.

Sponsors

Barbara and Tad Danz

Additional Support

Anonymous
Charlotte and Dick McConnell
Sylvia and Jim Thacker
Peggy Lowndes
Jean and Jerry Pfarr

Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Art Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford and Andy Warhol.

Every year, students submit their art which is evaluated by a panel of judges made up of local artists and art professionals. Exceptional works are awarded Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mention. Gold Key artworks advance to compete in the national Scholastic Art Awards competition. Select Gold Key works were also shown in an exhibition at the Holland Project Gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno, February 22 through March 20, 2020. American Visions Nominees are displayed concurrently in the Donald W Reynolds Grand Hall at the Museum.

Please note that the American Visions artwork at the Museum will be on view for an extended time. This extension does not apply to the Gold Key exhibition at the Holland Project.

Submissions for the 2020 Scholastic Art Awards were due by December 12. Click here to learn more about the submission process.

Congratulations to the award winners for the Scholastic Art Awards 2020!

Sponsors

City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission
Nell J. Redfield Foundation
Heidemarie Rochlin

Supporting Sponsors

Wild Women Artists

Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Art Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford and Andy Warhol.

This year 2,282 submissions were evaluated by a panel of judges made up of local artists and art professionals. Exceptional works were awarded Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mentions. Gold Key artwork advances to compete in the national Scholastic Art Awards competition. Select Gold Key works will be shown in an exhibition at the Holland Project Gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno February 22 through March 15, 2019. American Visions Nominees will be displayed concurrently in the Donald W Reynolds Grand Hall at the Museum.

2019 N. NV Awards

Sponsors

City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission
NV Energy
Nell J. Redfield Foundation

Supporting Sponsors

Wild Women Artists

EVENTS:

2019 Scholastic Art Awards Gold Key Exhibition Opening Reception at the Holland Project
Friday, February 22, 2019 / 6 – 8 pm

Join us in celebrating the Gold Key award-winning students of 2019 and the opening of their exhibition at the Holland Project gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno. FREE Admission

2019 Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony at the Nevada Museum of Art
Thursday, March 14, 2019 / 6 – 7:30 pm

We invite Gold and Silver Key award-winning students to be honored during this special ceremony at the Museum attended by family, teachers, friends, and members of the community.

All invited guests are required to RSVP to Jacque Dawson by March 1, 2019 to attend. Due to limited space, Gold and Silver Key award-winning students may RSVP with up to two guests and educators may bring one guest. FREE Admission

Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Art Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford and Andy Warhol.

More than 2,200 submissions were evaluated by a panel of judges made up of local artists and art professionals. Exceptional works were awarded Gold Key, Silver Key or Honorable Mentions. Gold Key artwork goes on to compete in the national Scholastic Art Awards competition. Select award-winning regional entries will be exhibited in a month-long exhibition at the Holland Project Gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno. American Visions Nominees will be displayed in the Donald W Reynolds Grand Hall at the Museum.

2018 Awards: Northern Nevada Awards  |  National Awards

Sponsor

Bank of America and the Hearst Foundations

Additional support

City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission
The Nell J. Redfield Foundation
The Wild Women Artists

EVENTS

2018 Scholastic Art Awards Gold Key Exhibition Opening Reception

Friday February 2, 2018 / 6 – 8 pm

Join us in celebrating the Gold Key award-winning students of 2018 and the opening of their exhibition at the Holland Project gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno. FREE Admission

2018 Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony

Thursday February 8, 2018 / 6 – 7 pm

Please join us in honoring the winners of the Scholastic Art Awards 2018. All award winners are invited to this ceremony at the Museum attended by students, parents, teachers and members of the community. Due to limited space, award-winning students may bring up to two guests and educators may bring one guest. FREE Admission

Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Art Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford and Andy Warhol.

More than 1,600 submissions were evaluated by a panel of judges made up of local artists and art professionals. Exceptional works were awarded Gold Key, Silver Key or Honorable Mentions. Gold Key artwork goes on to compete in the national Scholastic Art Awards competition. Select award-winning regional entries will exhibited in a month long exhibition at the Holland Project Gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno. American Visions Nominees will be displayed in the Donald W Reynolds Grand Hall at the Museum.

All award winners are invited to a ceremony at the Museum attended by over 400 students, parents, teachers and members of the community. National award winners have the opportunity to attend a ceremony in New York City.

2017 Scholastic Art Awards Announcement for Northern Nevada

Related Programs and Events:

2017 Scholastic Art Awards Gold Key Exhibition Opening Reception

2017 Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony

Lead sponsor

Bank of America

Additional support

City of Reno Arts and Culture Commission, the Nell J. Redfield Foundation and the Wild Women Artists

For almost five decades, Robert Adams’s extraordinarily influential photographs have explored the western American landscape and its transformations. In his most recent project, Adams shifts focus to his immediate environs, and finds related complexity, beauty, and mystery through photographs made in and around his home in Astoria, Oregon.

Nevada Museum of Art Curatorial Director and Curator of Contemporary Art JoAnne Northrup has partnered with Las Vegas-based art advisor Michele Quinn to co-curate Tilting the Basin: Contemporary Art of Nevada. The exhibition bridges the divide between Northern and Southern Nevada communities and provides a wide-ranging overview and understanding of the most accomplished work being created by more than thirty artists living and working in Nevada today.

The first nationally significant exhibition presenting art made in Nevada occurred in 2007 with Las Vegas Diaspora: The Emergence of Contemporary Art from the Neon Homeland, on view at the Las Vegas Art Museum, which has since closed. Organized by the well-respected art critic and curator Dave Hickey, the exhibition celebrated the work of twenty-six artists, all of whom received their degrees from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and studied with Hickey between 1990 and 2001 when he taught art theory and criticism in the Department of Art at UNLV.

Fast forward almost ten years later. After more than fifty artist studio visits in both Northern and Southern Nevada across Nevada, spanning Las Vegas to the south, Reno and Carson City in the north. Northrup and Quinn’s research revealed that the Nevada contemporary art scene does not evidence a singular aesthetic permeating artists’ work, but rather a wide array of practices and media. Nevada artists are creating innovative work ranging from painting, sculpture, and installation, to photography, interactive, and sound art. Their work is informed by popular culture, the natural environment, and landscape, as well as cultural identity, politics, and current events.

Tilting the Basin: Contemporary Art of Nevada aspires to provide contemporary dialogue aimed at enlightening our broader audiences to the richness of our entire arts community and how it can be a powerful tool in the growth of the great state of Nevada. The exhibition highlights the work of six artists in depth, showing several examples from each in a variety of media. Featured artists include Galen Brown, Justin Favela, Katie Lewis, David Ryan, Brent Sommerhauser, and Rachel Stiff. The remaining artists’ work will give visitors a wide-ranging picture of the art being created across Nevada today, including painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, mixed media, street art, installation, sound performance, fiber arts and new media. Some work, like that of Reno photographer Megan Berner, will live exclusively on social media. Berner plans to take daily photographs of the Northern Nevada sky for the eleven-week duration of the exhibition. The images will post to the Nevada Museum of Art Instagram account, allowing the community to view the body of work as it develops over time.

Additional collaborations and offsite installations are planned as well. Las Vegas-based artist Brent Sommerhauser will collaborate with Reno-based Holland Project and Nevada Museum of Art E.L. Cord Museum School to create small ‘sketches’ in glass by layering rich color combinations of glass powder, glass strings and other glass elements over handmade glass tiles that Sommerhauser will fire on-site in his kiln. The resulting tiles will be photographed and shared on the Nevada Museum of Art Instagram account and displayed in the E.L. Cord Museum School. The combined tiles will contribute to a growing work that will serve as a participant record. Performance art elements of the show include Justin Favela’s Family Fiesta.

Tilting the Basin: Contemporary Art of Nevada will be reprised in Las Vegas in 2017. Artists chosen for the exhibition have not before had work prominently displayed at the Museum:

#TiltingTheBasin

Las Vegas

Chris Bauder, Mark Brandvik, JW Caldwell, Matthew Couper, Gig Depio, Justin Favela, Sush Machida Gaikotsu, Shawn Hummel, Wendy Kveck, JK Russ, David Ryan, David Sanchez Burr, Sean Slattery, Brent Sommerhauser, Brent Holmes, Krystal Ramirez, Rachel Stiff

Reno/Carson

Megan Berner, Rebekah Bogard, Galen Brown, Erik Burke, Nate Clark, Tim Conder, Joseph DeLappe + Pete Froslie, Russell Dudley, Jeffrey Erickson, Jen Graham, Ahren Hertel, Katty Hoover, Eunkang Koh, Nick Larsen, Katie Lewis, Sarah Lillegard, Omar Pierce

Download the Press Release

Premier Sponsor

Stacie Mathewson and Doors to Recovery

Lead Sponsor

Wayne and Miriam Prim

Major Sponsor

Jacqueline Black

Supporting Sponsors

Maureen Mullarkey and Steve Miller; Nevada Arts Council; The Private Bank by Nevada State Bank

Sponsors

Kathie Bartlett; Elaine Cardinale; Barbara and Tad Danz; Dolan Law, LLC; Tammy M. and Brian E. Riggs; Sari and Ian Rogoff

Media Sponsors

Getaway Reno-Tahoe; Juxtapoz Magazine; KUNR Reno Public Radio; Nevada Magazine; Reno-Tahoe International Airport; Tahoe Quarterly; Western Art and Architecture