Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards

The Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards (MSAA) is a statewide regional affiliation of the National Scholastic Art Awards program. MSAA recognizes many of our state’s most creative teenagers and offers scholarship opportunities for graduating high school seniors. It’s open to all Minnesota students in grades 7 through 12.

Register Here 
Visit the Minnesota Regional Program webpage.

The College of Visual Arts and the Art Educators of Minnesota celebrate the MSAA winners with an exhibition and ceremony. Selected artwork advances to the national competition in New York.

Entries can be submitted by a student’s art teacher or by the student. Submission of artwork for the MSAA is done completely online.

View Art Categories
Learn About Submitting Art Portfolios

Submission Deadline

All submissions must be completed by Monday, December 17, 2012. Submission fees and printed forms must be postmarked no later than December 17.

Please note that entry fees have been reinstated as follows:

$5 per individual entry submission (not $5.00 per person)
$20 per portfolio submission

Please make checks payable to: College of Visual Arts
Create Your School Purchase Order

There is no limit to the number of submissions that can be made. Submission fees and printed forms must be postmarked no later than December 17.

MSAA Q&A's

How do I submit work?
What are the categories for submissions?  
How do teachers register students for MSAA?
Important Dates for MSAA
MSAA Teacher Resources
PDF Purchase Order
Frequently Asked Questions
Submission of Artwork
Contact Information

How do teachers register students for MSAA?

Things you will need from each student before registering:

1. Student's birth date
2. Student's email address
3. Student's password for MSAA site (if already registered for this year)
4. Name of one of the student's parents
5. Title, dimensions, medium of each piece of students work (Please don't use 'Untitled' or a generic title like 'Teapot'. Consider adding an identifying word, such as 'Self Portrait with Green Necklace'.)
6. Digital image of each work (300 dpi/ppi for a print size of 5 by 7 inches)

Follow along with these steps while doing your online registration:

1. Go to www.artandwriting.org/registration
2. Click on the yellow 'Teacher' button to create a new login.
3. Enter email, password, your information and school information, and complete the security question section. Then click 'Submit'. Now you have a login! Make sure to write this down somewhere.
4. After completing those steps, you can begin to add students and their work. Start by clicking on 'Add Student' on the left.
5. You will need each student's birthdate, email, password, and parent name for the first area.
6. Next screen will be where you need to enter the category, title, and dimensions of the work and also confirm that the subject matter is not plagiarized.
7. Now you upload the images. Try to have the images sized before you start this process. Images must be 300dpi/ppi for a print size of 5 by 7 inches.
8. The last step is to print out the forms and mail in the submission fees to CVA. Do not mail artwork. Mail one copy of each submission form, with required signature and a check made out to College of Visual Arts, to:
   MN Scholastic Art Awards
   c/o College of Visual Arts
   344 Summit Avenue
   Saint Paul, MN 55102

Important Dates for MSAA

Submission Deadline
All online submissions must be completed by Monday, December 17, 2012.

Announcement of Awards
Notification of MSAA Awards will be on January 22 by email.

Gold Key Artwork Drop-off

Monday, January 28, 3 to 8 p.m. @ CVA Gallery
Tuesday, January 29, 3 to 8 p.m. @ CVA Gallery

MSAA Gold Key Exhibition

February 7 - March 3, 2013
College of Visual Arts Gallery
173 Western Avenue North
Saint Paul, MN 55102
Learn More

MSAA Teacher Reception

Saturday, March 2
4 to 6 p.m. Teacher Reception @ CVA Gallery
All participating teachers are invited to join us for the teacher reception.

Exhibition Open House

10 to 2:00 p.m. Gold Key Exhibition Open House @ CVA Gallery

Gold Key Award Ceremony

Sunday, March 3
1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Ceremony: Schools A-M
2:30-3:30 p.m. Ceremony: Schools N-W
Ceremony is held at the Minnesota History Center

Gold Key Artwork Pick-up

Sunday, March 3, 2 to 5 p.m. @ CVA Gallery
Monday, March 4, 3 to 8 p.m. @ CVA Gallery

MSAA Teacher Resources

Information for teachers with Gold Key or Silver Key artwork:
If there are spelling mistakes, or other errors, please email ScholasticAwards@cva.edu immediately, and before January 29 to have the correction appear in the exhibition and publications.

For each of your entries awarded a Gold Key:

1. Label Your Work: Please identify your Gold Key artwork by attaching a label on the back or bottom of the work. The label must include: Student Name, School, Teacher Name, and Barcode Number.
2. Prepare For Hanging: To protect the student artwork, all prints, photographs, drawings, and any works on paper should be mounted on rigid board or window matted in black or white. When matting and hinging 2D artwork, you must use foamcore as a back mat. This will ensure that the piece does not bow off of the wall. Also, please adhere the front and back mat together in several spots along the sides and bottom to keep them pressed together.
3. Deliver Gold Key Artwork:
   Monday, January 28, 3 to 8 p.m.
   Tuesday, January 29, 3 to 8 p.m.
   
   Drop-off Location
   CVA Gallery
   173 Western Avenue North
   Saint Paul, MN 55102
   
   Ship Artwork*
   Please ensure that all artwork arrives before January 29 at 6 p.m.
   MSAA Exhibition
   College of Visual Arts
   344 Summit Avenue
   Saint Paul, MN 55102
   
   *Student artwork received after Tuesday, January 29 at 6:00 p.m. will not be included in the exhibition. Please make every effort to deliver artwork before this deadline.

   
   Portfolios
   Teachers with portfolio entries that have been awarded a Portfolio Gold Key are asked to choose one piece of artwork from the portfolio to represent the student portfolio in the MSAA Gold Key Exhibition. Please follow the instructions above to prepare and deliver this piece.

   Packaging
   Student artwork will be installed directly into the gallery. We will have limited space for storing boxes and other packaging. If you are delivering the artwork, please be aware that your packaging will be sent away with you.

   Frequently Asked Questions

   What do the specific awards mean?

   • Gold Key, American Vision Nominee: Five pieces voted 'Best of Show' that will continue on to the national competition, where one piece will be selected to represent Minnesota in the National Art Exhibition.
   • Gold Key: Awarded for excellence. Gold Keys will be included in the MSAA Exhibition and digital images of these pieces will continue on to the National Competition in New York.
   •  Silver Key: Awarded high honors. Digital images of the Silver Keys will be included in the MSAA Exhibition and the online Flickr Gallery.
   • Honorable Mention. Digital images of the Honorable Mention Awards will be included in the MSAA Exhibition and the online Flickr Gallery.

   
   How will the MSAA Gold and Silver Keys and Merit Awards be celebrated?
   Gold Key awarded students, along with their families and teachers, are invited to receive their awards at the MSAA Gold Key Award Ceremony on Sunday, March 3, 2013 at the Minnesota History Center. Prior to the ceremony, there will be an open house at the CVA Gallery to see the MSAA Gold Key Exhibition.

   Silver Key and Merit awarded students will be represented in the exhibition with a digital slideshow.

   What are the size limitations for MSAA entries?
   2D artwork should not exceed 48 inches in any direction and, in general, the largest 2D work that is eligible is 36 by 48 inches and 3D artwork should not exceed 18 by 18 by 36 inches in dimensions and should not exceed 30 pounds in weight. Individual works that exceed the size limitations may be disqualified.

   PLEASE BE CONSCIOUS OF SIZE REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRIES. If there is an entry that exceeds the size limitations, a small photograph of the piece may be exhibited instead. For more information please contact ScholasticAwards@cva.edu.

   How will the jury select artworks to receive awards?
   MSAA entries are viewed by the jury as digital images. Jurors are instructed to select artwork that excels in:

   • Originality
   • Technical skill
   • Emergence of a personal vision

    The criteria for the MSAA Jury is dictated by the National Scholastic Art Awards. More detailed information about each area is explained here: http://www.artandwriting.org/the-awards/jurors/

   Are there a certain number of awards given each year?
   MSAA does not limit the number of Gold and Silver Key Awards. Typically, approximately 10-15% of Minnesota submissions receive regional recognition. Approximately, 1,200 young artists and writers across the country earn national recognition.

   What happens to Gold Key work after the MSAA exhibition?
   Digital images of MSAA Gold Key Artwork are sent on to New York to be juried with other regional winners. National adjudication of Gold Key qualifying works takes place in New York City in March. Gold Key works are judged digitally by the national jurors. If selected for the national exhibition, students and teachers are asked to ship the physical artwork to the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers in New York in April.

   Which students' artworks will be exhibited in the National Art Exhibition?
   National Gold Medals and National American Visions & Voices Awards will be exhibited at the National Art Exhibition in June in New York City.

   Do students get scholarships for receiving national awards?
   On the national level, the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers offers $1,000 scholarships for Notable Achievement Portfolios and twelve $10,000 scholarships for Portfolio Gold Award recipients. Graduating seniors receiving national awards in Single Entry categories and Portfolio categories are eligible to seek funding from the participating Alliance Provider Network of institutions of higher education ranging from $1,000 to full-ride tuition scholarships.

   When will the national award winners be announced?
   National student winners and their teachers will hear directly from the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers by mid-April. View some of the National Scholastic Art Award Medal images at the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers online gallery.

   When will the nationally awarded artwork be returned to the student?
   The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers may hold the artwork for up to two years as indicated in the signed submission form. Typically, artwork is mailed to the home addresses of students in October one year after initial submission.

   Can a teacher enter more than one piece by the same student?
   Yes, a single student may have more than one piece entered.

   Is there a specific theme students have to address?
   There are no restrictions on content or subject matter in the Scholastic Art Awards. Students may approach any subject they choose.

   Can students create work by rendering from photographs?
   Creating work from photographs is allowed in The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, if the image is taken by the student. Rendering copyrighted images is not acceptable. Copyright law does allow for the fair use of copyrighted material in limited and transformative purposes.

   If a student creates a work with two mediums such as pencil and paint, is that considered mixed media?
   No. Mixed Media consists of collage or assemblage where materials added together protrude from the 2D plane. A work done with both painting and drawing must be submitted in only one of those categories.

   How does the student choose which works to include in an Art or Photography Portfolio submission?
   Students should submit their best works that exemplify originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal vision. National jurors are often looking at the consistency of artwork/photography across the portfolio.

   Submission of Artwork

   The deadline for all submissions to MSAA is December 17. Submission fees and printed forms must be postmarked no later than December 17.

   Contact Information

   Please email ScholasticAwards@cva.edu with any questions or concerns about the Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards.

   Homepage Image Credit

   Joshua Homic
   Machine's Humanity (detail)
   Art Portfolio, Fashion
   Perpich Center for Arts Education

   Sponsors

   This exhibition is co-sponsored by Art Educators of Minnesota & CVA.

   Partners

   Wet Paint
   West Photo
   Utrecht Art Supplies
   Blick art materials
   Art Materials
   Triarco