Alabama Prize for Excellence in Visual Arts

APEX 2027 Competition Plans

This outlines the general plan and vision for the Alabama Prize for Excellence in the Visual Arts competition in the spring of 2027. Details below have not been finalized with individual District Coordinators and may still be adjusted. Final revisions are expected and will reflect input from coordinators, teachers, students, and staff.

General Competition Rules:

Schools will be divided into two division categories, Intermediate and Advanced. The Intermediate category will consist of students in grades 6 through 8. The Advanced category will consist of students in grades 9 through 12.

Participating schools will be grouped by the following regional districts:

Teachers are invited to enter up to 12 works of art created by 12 different students. Each student’s work will be categorized by one of the media categories listed below:

Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media, Printmaking, Photography, New Media, Sculpture, Craft

Each student entry must include the artwork’s category and the following information:

Student Name, Student Grade and Division, Teacher Name, Teacher Contact Information, School Name, Artwork title, Media description, Dimensions, Artist Statement, and Any Notes relevant to the work or exhibition

Awards

At the regional level competitions, both division categories will have the same award structure: First and Second Place in each media category and an overall Best in Show. There will only be 16 winners from each regional competition.

At the state-level competition, both division categories will have First and Second Place media category winners and an overall Best in Show. Regional winners will be highlighted during the award ceremony and will receive a swag bag and certificate. State-level winners will receive an additional award and prize.

Adjudication Process

Due to changes in the competition, more information is now needed to show the impact of the program, the artwork participating in the competition, and further add to the educational impact of the program. Going forward, all jurors will need to use the included rubric when jurying student artwork entries. These scores will be used to tabulate and help decide the first and second place winners of each media category. Additionally, these scores and any comments by the jurors will be given to the Teacher of the participating students at the conclusion of the competition season.

Part of the available funding may be allotted to increase juror pay or honoraria.

Exhibition

Framing specifications will now be determined by the needs of each district coordinator’s chosen exhibition site. Student entries do not need to be framed for the state-level competition. Unframed paper works must be presented in an appropriate and professional manner.

Part of the available funding may be allotted to the purchase of exhibition materials, including framing/matting. Each coordinator will determine how funds are used and delegate spending decisions.

Members of the JSU APEX committee will work with each regional coordinator to assist with pickup and return of student artwork entries for the state-level competition. Schedule, process, and terms will be decided at each district coordinator’s pre-competition meeting.

District coordinators are responsible for sharing information about the competition, exhibition, and awards reception with teachers and participating schools.

State-Level Entry Forms and Evaluation Process

All state-level jurying will happen in person at our exhibition location by third-party jurors. They will use a rubric like the regional score rubric to determine awards through consensus. They will need access to student entry information, including title, media information, artist statements, etc. The long-term goal for the competition is to set up a digital portal for regional coordinators to upload their

16 winners. Until this web presence is established, all registration materials for the regional winners and all juror evaluations will be handed off to the state level of competition.

Ideally, these will be shared in a digital format, but physical copies are acceptable. The format and nature of this transfer will be determined by the needs and capacities of each individual district coordinator.

2027 Competition Schedule

This document outlines the general calender for the 2027 competition season. Any regional level dates are subject to change due to the needs and constraints of each districts participants and coordinators.

October–November 2026: Competition information is distributed to participating schools. Regional coordinators contact and share event information with educators. Teachers begin collecting and preparing student artwork for submission

January 18–February 15, 2027: Student submission forms are distributed and collected through regional coordinators. Deadlines may be adjusted to meet regional needs.

Week of February 22, 2027: Invitations and instructions for state-level competition events are distributed to regional coordinators and community stakeholders.

February 22–March 19, 2027: Regional exhibitions and jury processes take place. Final dates and venues are determined by regional coordinators.

March 22–April 9, 2027: Regional exhibitions conclude. Selected works are transported to the state exhibition venue and installed for competition.

Week of April 12, 2027: State competition judges review entries and select award recipients.

April 17, 2027: State Awards Ceremony and Exhibition

Week of April 19, 2027: State exhibition is de-installed and artwork returned to regional coordinators, schools, and students.

April 26–May 31, 2027: Regional coordinators submit final expense and year-end reports. Data from regional and state competitions are compiled into a comprehensive exit report documenting participation, community impact, expenditures, juror evaluations, and participant outcomes. Due date subject to change based on grant funder requirements.