Each winter, the Central Library hosts the Regional Scholastic Art Award, a competition which encompasses all Middle School and High School students in Arlington County.

Almost 2000 works of art were submitted and judged by three jurors. Out of these, the judges chose 376 to be awarded either a Gold or a Silver Certificate. These works are on display on the first and second floors of the Arlington Central Library. In addition, our Youth Services staff will chose one piece to add to our own permanent collection.

Washington-Lee High School will host the awards ceremony on Wednesday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m., co-sponsored by the Arlington Public Schools, the Library and the Arlington Artists Alliance.

The official event opening will take place at Central Library directly after the awards ceremony.

In 1923, M.R. Robinson founded this prestigious art exhibition for students with artistic talent. Each year, Regional Art Competitions across the nation select over 12,000 Gold Keys out of 100,000 submissions. These 12,000 Gold Key individual and portfolio works of art are then juried on a National Level in New York City. On a National Level, over 1,000 works of art are awarded as Gold and Silver Keys. In the past seven years, Arlington County alone has received between 7-11 National awards for both individual and portfolios works of art.

The exhibit will be up at the Central Library through the end of March.