The Maryland Region Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

The Maryland Region Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

The Awards The Maryland Region Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is the nation's longest-running and most prestigious creative teen recognition program for students in grades 7-12. BOPA is proud to serve as the Maryland regional affiliate for this competition and support Maryland's next generation of creatives. Teens, ages 13 and up can apply in 28 categories of art and writing.

1

The Maryland Region Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

BOPA serves as the Maryland regional affiliate for this competition, which means we oversee the important task of collecting and evaluating submissions at the regional level. It’s a big job: This year, 1,667 teens from Baltimore and the surrounding region submitted 4,200 works of visual and literary art — up from 1,300 teens submitting 3,000 works last year.

All works are blindly judged by local visual artists, novelists, poets, playwrights, educators, and editors. Each piece is judged based on originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice. Award recipients receive a Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mention. Gold Keys are automatically forwarded for consideration at the national level of the Scholastic Awards.

All of the Maryland regional Gold Key recipients were automatically advanced to the national competition alongside Gold Key awardees from other regions. A total of 45 Maryland students received medals at the national level — including Portfolio Gold, Individual Gold, Silver, Silver with Distinction, American Voices, and American Visions, as well as a special Herblock Foundation for Editorial Cartooning Award.

Regional Awards Ceremony

March 12, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA). Painter and fiber artist Stephen Towns and children’s author Katherine Marsh will serve as keynote speakers for this event.

The Scholastic Awards requires year-round engagement with schools, educators, arts organizations, and students. BOPA staff goes above and beyond to ensure that we are supporting the next generation of visual artists and writers.

Watch 2022 awards show here.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a one-on-one or group information session, please contact Twi McCallum, Arts Education Specialist at Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts, tmccallum@promotionandarts.org.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a one-on-one or group information session, please contact Twi McCallum, Arts Education Specialist at Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts, tmccallum@promotionandarts.org.

Be a part of the Baltimore Public Art Commission's next meeting

Here is an excerpt

Learn More

Want to learn more about Artscape 2023?

Find the event schedule, vendors, and all of the details for Artscape on the full event site.

View the Artscape Site