CAA Welcomes Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Visual Arts Exhibit

The Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA) of Walton County is hosting the 2023 Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Visual Arts touring exhibition.

The public is invited to attend an opening reception for the exhibit on Thursday, June 20 from 5 -7pm at The Foster Gallery.

The Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Visual Arts program showcases the talents of nine Southeastern visual artists — competitively selected by a panel of jurors from a pool of 800-plus applicants — who represent various disciplines and career levels. The fellowships are awarded in cooperation with the state arts agencies in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee — and with additional funding from other public and private donors. 

The touring exhibition is available through South Arts, a nonprofit regional organization that advances Southern vitality through the arts. South Arts fulfills that mission by supporting artists and organizations through a rich and responsive portfolio of grants, fellowships and programs. The organization has developed and installed exhibitions across the region featuring the Southern Prize and State Fellowship recipients since 2019.

“It is an honor for the CAA to have been selected as a host partner for the Southern Prize exhibition,” said Jennifer Steele, CAA Executive Director. “South Arts has a stellar reputation for its support of Southeastern artists and organizations, and the CAA is proud to partner in bringing the incredible work of these nine artists to Walton County.”

“South Arts is so pleased to be working with the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County.” said South Arts’ Vice President of Programs, Joy Young, PhD. “They have a long history of presenting artists and producing engaging arts and cultural activities for the community, so they are an ideal partner. Hosting this exhibit of regional artists is an example of a regional and local collaboration that brings the community both a unique arts experience and the resultant economic benefits.” 

The 2023 featured artists include Beizar Aradini (craft, Tennessee Fellow), Kelly Bryant (drawing, Alabama Fellow), Victoria Dugger (multidisciplinary, Georgia, Fellow and Southern Prize Winner), Chris Friday (multidisciplinary, Florida Fellow), Alexis McGrigg (multidisciplinary, Mississippi Fellow), Nadia Meadows (sculpture, North Carolina Fellow), Rachel Moser (multidisciplinary, Kentucky Fellow), Carlie Trosclair (sculpture, Louisiana Fellow), and Michael Webster (sculpture, South Carolina Fellow and Southern Prize Finalist). 

The Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Visual Arts exhibition will be on display exclusively at the gallery from June 20 to August 31, 2024. Admission to the opening reception is free and open to all. We encourage all art enthusiasts, collectors, and community members to join us for an evening of creativity, inspiration, and celebration.

The Foster Gallery is located at 13370 Emerald Coast Parkway (US Hwy 98) and is part of the Miramar Beach Creative Campus featuring regional artist rotations on a quarterly basis as well as special exhibitions. The Foster Gallery at the Miramar Beach Creative Campus will also host artist receptions and openings, workshops in J. Leon Studio, events, and serve as a community gathering point symbolizing the support the CAA strives to give artists in our community, including those who are members of the CAA.

The gallery is open Tuesday - Saturday from 11am until 5pm. For more information, including class schedule, ceramics services and space rental of the Miramar Beach Creative Campus for private events, call 850.842.3051 or visit www.CulturalArtsAlliance.com.