Winners Announced for 12th Annual National Arts Program Exhibition

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The City of Raleigh Arts Commission and the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County have announced the winners of the 12th annual National Arts Program Exhibition. The exhibition features artwork by City of Raleigh and Wake County employees and their families.

The National Arts Program is designed to give all artists, at every skill level, an opportunity to exhibit their artwork in a professional manner. The exhibition is sponsored by the Arts Commission and the United Arts Council in collaboration with The National Arts Program Foundation Inc. of Malvern, Pa. Judges for this year’s exhibition were Linda Dallas, a member of the City of Raleigh Arts Commission; Raleigh City Manager Ruffin Hall; and Wake County Manager Jim Hartmann. All prizes and awards are funded by the National Arts Program and not by City of Raleigh or Wake County funds.

Cash prizes paid for by the National Arts Program were awarded in the exhibition’s five artistic classifications: amateur, intermediate, professional, teen (13-18), and youth (12 and under). In the adult classifications, winners received $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place. In the teen and youth classifications, $75 went to the first-place winner, $50 to second place, and $25 to third-place winners. A Best of Show award of $300 also was presented.

The winners for this year are:

Best in Show
Aryanna Paine, Teen - relative of City employee, Public Utilities Department

Adult Professional
First Place - Joshua Davis, County employee, Wake County Public School System (WCPSS)
Second Place - Janie Johnson, City employee, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department
Third Place - Autumn Cobeland, City employee, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources
Honorable Mention - Kendal Draper, City employee, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources

Adult Intermediate
First Place - Shannon O’Shea, relative of City employee, Public Utilities Department
Second Place - David Burke, relative of City employee, Human Resources Department
Third Place - Bryan Edwards, relative of County employee, WCPSS
Honorable Mention - Clarissa Rivera, relative of County employee, Register of Deeds Office

Adult Amateur
First Place - Jessica Savage, relative of City employee, Public Affairs Department
Second Place - Richard Bailey, City employee, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department
Third Place - Deborah Mangrum, City employee, Public Works Department
Honorable Mention - Kelly Ann Kinney, City employee, Police Department

Youth Under 12
First Place - Ian Brown (11 years old), relative of County employee, Community Services Department
Second Place - Justin Silluzio (12 years old), relative of City employee, Police Department
Third Place - Alan Burton (8 years old), relative of City employee, Parks Recreation and Cultural Resources Department
Honorable Mention - Dillon Leacock (11 years old), relative of City employee, Housing and Neighborhoods Department

Teen 13-18
First Place - Tyler Mae Stempien (15 years old), relative of City employee, Public Utilities Department
Second Place - Haley McCay (16 years old), relative of City employee, Public Affairs Department
Third Place - Danielle Walden (14 years old), relative of City employee, Public Utilities Department
Honorable Mention - Jamie Turner, relative of City employee, City Manager’s Office

The public is invited to view the National Arts Program Exhibition through Jan. 15 in the Miriam Preston Block Art Gallery at the Avery C. Upchurch Government Complex, 222 W. Hargett St. Located on the first and second floors of the Upchurch Government Complex, the gallery is managed by the City of Raleigh Arts Commission and was dedicated in 2006 to honor the late Miriam Preston Block, a former Raleigh City Council member and community leader. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. except holidays.

The Office of Raleigh Arts supports and promotes the arts in Raleigh by administering the programs of the City of Raleigh Arts Commission and the City’s Public Art and Design Board, and supporting the Pullen and Sertoma arts centers. The Office of Raleigh Arts is part of the City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department.