2024 Important Dates/Deadlines
- Entry Form Deadline | March 28
- Teachers deliver art to ESD 123 | April 9, 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM (or by advance appointment)
- Artwork on Display | April 15 - May 10
- Opening Reception | April 17, 5:30 PM at ESD 123 (3924 W Court St, Pasco, WA)
- Family Day | April 20, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- Exhibit Closes. Artwork Returned to Schools | May 13-14
Middle School Art Guidelines
Eligibility
Any middle school student (public and private) in grades 6-8 is eligible to enter the regional show.
Entry Limits
Each school may enter a maximum of thirty (30) pieces per art teacher currently working in that school. For example, if ABC Middle School has one art teacher, that school may enter up to 30 pieces of art in the show. If XYZ Middle School has two art teachers employed, that school may enter up to 60 pieces of art. If you have any questions regarding entry limits or would like a copy of the complete art exhibit guidelines, please contact us at [email protected].
Size Limits
The maximum size for hanging artwork is 48” x 60,” including frame and/or matting. The ESD will coordinate with art teachers to accommodate as many pieces and sizes as possible.
How to Enter
It is up to the discretion of each school’s art teacher(s) which pieces to choose to send to the art show. Artwork that is not acceptable in a school district, due to policy and practice, is not acceptable at the ESD or state level. Art teachers are responsible for complying with their district’s expectations and policy.
Entry Process
- Each art teacher* chooses the pieces they will send to the show.
- Teachers work with students to complete a Middle School Registration / Inventory Form (*.xls) and the Student Release Form. Teachers are responsible for submitting these forms to the ESD Art Show Coordinators per the deadlines listed above.
- Teachers and students apply identification labels to each entry and package them for delivery.
- Teachers are responsible for the delivery of the artwork, entry forms and signed releases to ESD 123 by the delivery dates and times listed above. If you cannot arrive between those hours, please contact us at [email protected] or 509.544.5787 to schedule another time.
* If a middle school student wishes to enter the art show and his/her school does not employ an art teacher, any staff member or administrator from that school may serve in place of the art teacher.
Selecting Artwork
It is up to the discretion of each school’s art teacher(s) which pieces to choose to send to the art show. Here are some important things to consider when choosing artwork:
- Choosing which pieces to send can be a classroom activity with students. Critical evaluation of artwork is a valuable tool for students to learn for careers in art.
- Artwork that is not acceptable in a school district, due to policy and practice, is not acceptable at the ESD. Art teachers are responsible for complying with their district’s expectations and policy. When in doubt, have the artwork cleared by district administration before submitting it.
- Please consider the size, fragility and complexity of the artwork. Artwork must be transported to and from ESD 123, and it will be housed in a public space without supervision. Pieces that are extremely large, very fragile or have many small components are not a good choice.
Forms & Paperwork
Registration / Inventory Form
A Middle School Registration / Inventory Form must be submitted to the art show coordinators by March 28, 2024. Accuracy is of the utmost importance. Please double-check your information. No late entries will be accepted.
Student Release Form
The online Middle School Student Release Form must be signed by the student’s parent/guardian or representing teacher and submitted either in print or electronically. The purpose of this form is to provide consent for the student’s name and artwork to be on display at the ESD 123 building and in our online art gallery. If a signed form from the student’s parent/guardian cannot be obtained in time, the art teacher may choose to sign the form in acknowledgment that he/she has verified permission. Artwork submitted without a signed Student Release Form cannot be displayed.
Teacher Involvement
Teachers are expected to assist students in properly mounting/preparing their artwork for display and transporting it to the ESD. It is crucial that teachers also assist in notifying students and their families of the exhibit, especially encouraging them to attend the opening reception. The ESD will also send out letters to the student’s home address listed on the student registration form.
Artwork Return Process
Each art exhibit will have an art pick-up deadline. Anything remaining at the ESD after the deadline will be sent via courier to the school’s district office, unless other arrangements have been made.
Directions for Display Tags
Each art e Please securely attach this tag to the back of each piece of artwork submitted to ensure it is appropriately identified during the show and returned to its rightful owner after the show. Below is an example of how the display tag should look when complete. To maintain uniformity, please use Times New Roman font. Font size and style is shown in the second example card. (Please note that the inventory number is only for the high school exhibit.) These labels can be printed very easily through Microsoft Word’s Envelopes and Labels option in the toolbar. Please use 2”x4” Avery Shipping labels (#5263 or #8163). The labels need to be applied to a 2.5”x4.5” black background. If you have any questions on how to print labels, please contact Molly Curtiss at [email protected]. TWO (2) copies of this tag must be printed for each art piece. One tag must be framed in black (as shown below) to be used as the display tag. The second tag should be adhered to the backside of the art itself. These tags are critical to assuring that artwork is displayed and returned correctly.
Artwork Presentation & Packaging
The manner in which a piece of art is presented makes a considerable impact on the observer. We require all artwork to be submitted ready for display without having to make repairs or adjustments. Work not ready for hanging will not be displayed.
Flat Work Requirements
- Flat work must be matted, framed or both. A device for hanging must be provided. Large, lightweight items must be mounted with sturdy back support, such as matboard or foam core.
- Do not use tape to secure the artwork to the mat – this frequently falls off.
- Adhesive picture hangers for matted work must be attached securely. (See this product example to order.)
- Place hangers at 1/3 the width from either side.
- Do not use paper clips for hanging devices.
- Use wire and screw-eyes for heavy frames.
Sculpture / Pottery Requirements
- Artwork must be able to stand on a table without rolling. Please provide a resting device for pieces that cannot stand on their own.
- If the artwork includes multiple elements, please provide a picture showing how it should be displayed.
- Please attach a name label to any plate holders or cradles.
Packaging
Use appropriate packaging to protect against damage to entries during transport. ESD 123 will not be responsible for damage to entries.
Flat work should be individually wrapped/padded and placed in a portfolio or other protective packaging. Three-dimensional works should be placed in a cardboard box and protected accordingly. All packaging should be clearly labeled with the school and teacher name, so that artwork may be re-packaged upon return.
Originality
We strongly encourage schools to submit artwork that is completely original, as this encourages a level of professionalism for middle school students and helps prepare them for the High School Art Show which requires only original artwork.
What is Copyright & Plagiarism?
Educators and students are responsible for educating themselves on copyright and plagiarism issues.
Copyright is a form of legal protection prohibiting others from copying one’s creative work without permission. A copyright is a property right. Copyright law grants the creator of an original work the exclusive rights for its use and distribution.
Plagiarism is an ethical violation resulting from failure to cite sources and engaging in the act of passing someone else’s work or ideas off as one’s own. This applies even if you have only copied a part, rather than the whole, of another’s work.
How do I know if my work is original?
An original work is one that is new and different from what others have created. This means that you are the author of the work, and the work is not copied from someone else’s original work.
Even if there is no exact or literal copying, but the average person may notice substantial similarities between the submitted work and the source material, it is possible that the work is not considered original and should not be submitted. For example:
- A pencil drawing that directly copies a celebrity portrait that was taken by another artist is not original work.
- Changing the medium—for example, creating a painting based on a photo that was taken by someone else is not original.
- A painting or drawing of a photograph taken from the Internet or a magazine is not considered original and should not be submitted.
- Cropping or resizing an image does NOT make the work transformative.
Frequently Asked Questions
May I submit artwork that students created in previous years?
Artwork that is not acceptable in a school district, due to policy and practice, is not acceptable at the ESD or state level. Art teachers are responsible for complying with their district’s expectations and policy. When in doubt, have the artwork cleared by district administration before submitting it to the regional art show. ESD 123 may require a signed letter from a superintendent or associate superintendent for any piece of artwork that we consider questionable.
ESD 123 will not alter or censor student artwork. Artwork that meets district expectations will be displayed for judging and at the art show reception. However, all artwork may not be displayed continuously in the ESD 123 building. We do not censor student artwork, but if it violates internal health and safety agency regulations, the work will be displayed accordingly or not at all.
Can homeschool students enter the art show?
All entries must come through a public school district or private school. Homeschool students may submit artwork through their district’s homeschool program teacher or may find a teacher to sponsor their work.
Can private school students enter the art show?
Yes! Private school students may enter artwork for display in the regional show.
How can the public view the artwork outside of ESD 123 office hours (M-F, 7:30-4:00)?
In addition to visiting the ESD 123 building in Pasco between 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM on Monday-Friday, ESD 123 is hosting a Family Day on Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM so that visitors may come on a weekend.