18th Annual Middle Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition Returns to the Parthenon Jan. 23 - Feb. 28
Regional students submitted more than 830 works in a range of artistic media;
Watkins School of Art at Belmont offers scholarships to top winners; Opening reception and awards ceremony to be held Jan. 22
The Parthenon, Centennial Park Conservancy, Metro Nashville Parks & Recreation, and Tennessee Art Education Association announced that the 18th annual Middle Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition will return to the Parthenon this winter.
Selected student works in Ceramics, Computer Graphics, Drawing, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Video will be on display in the Parthenon from January 22 to February 28. An opening reception and awards ceremony honoring the selected artists will take place on January 22 at the Parthenon from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with winners in each category announced throughout the evening, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
The 187 winners were selected from more than 830 works submitted by students in grades 6-12 from Middle Tennessee public and private schools and home-schooled students. A panel of judges from Watkins School of Art at Belmont University evaluated the submissions in a blind process, selecting First, Second, and Third Place winners and Honorable Mentions for every grade level in each artistic category. Overall winners were chosen as well, in the categories of Best of Show, Best of High School, Best of Middle School, Best of Ceramics, Best of Computer Graphics, Best of Drawing, Best of Mixed Media, Best of Painting, Best of Photography, Best of Printmaking, Best of Sculpture, and Best of Video. All works were judged based on criteria including originality, technical skill and emergence of a personal vision or voice.
This year the Watkins School of Art at Belmont University is offering scholarships to the sophomores, juniors and seniors who win the “best of” award in each category, as well as to the “Best of High School” winner.
The judging panel included: Benjy Davies, Associate Dean of the Watkins School of Art at Belmont University; Brandon Williams, Assistant Professor of Printmaking at Watkins; and LaKesha Lee, 2025-2027 Faculty Fellow at Watkins.
“Each year, we are in awe of the quality of work submitted by Middle Tennessee students,” said Davies. “We are so proud of and impressed by the immense talent across disciplines showcased by these students. The judging process is no small feat, and we are honored to be part of recognizing these incredible young people year after year.”
This is the 18th year the Tennessee Art Education Association has held the regional competition and exhibition, and the fourth year it has been hosted at the Parthenon.
“It is such a privilege for our team at The Parthenon and Centennial Park Conservancy to encourage and inspire the next generation of artists in Middle Tennessee,” says Parthenon Curator Jennifer Richardson. “We are so grateful for the Tennessee Art Education Association and Belmont’s generous partnership and scholarship to create meaningful, tangible opportunities for these young artists. With more than 800 entries this year, we know how hard these students, teachers, and parents worked. This exhibit is one of my favorites every year, not only because of the depth and diversity of talent, but also because it brings together so many families together to celebrate the work of each student.”
In addition to being displayed as part of the Parthenon exhibition this winter, the Best Of winners will also be displayed in the Best of the Best Statewide Exhibition, which will be held in Todd Hall at Middle Tennessee State University later this summer.
The Artists Reception will be held at The Parthenon from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on January 22. Admission is free, and guests should RSVP via Eventbrite.
For more information on the exhibit, visit nashvilleparthenon.com/events/mtrsae-exhibition.
Exhibitions and educational programming at the Parthenon are underwritten by Centennial Park Conservancy and its generous partners, including: Amazon, Advance Financial Foundation, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Dettwiller Foundation, HCA Healthcare Foundation, Jackson National Life Insurance Company, Old Town Trolley, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Sandra Schatten Foundation, The Memorial Foundation, and the Tennessee Arts Commission.