Libby Allen Art Competition Coming For Overton Students

Overton County art students can showcase their creativity by entering the inaugural Libby Allen Art Competition.

Overton County Arts Council President Tim Richardson said the council created the event to generate recognition and exposure for skilled young artists in the county. He said this competition is the first of its kind in Overton County and he hopes to see it grow the art programs at both Livingston and REACH Academy.

“We really wanted to give, especially students, K-12 students, more opportunities to engage with the visual arts and kind of discover if they have any, you know, what their talents and their interests are in this form of art,” Richardson said.

Richardson said Libby Allen, the competition’s namesake, has been the only K-8 art teacher in the county for some 27 years. Richardson said Allen’s dedication to traveling to each Overton County school and sharing the value of visual arts made her well-deserving of the recognition.

“Without her, they wouldn’t have had this art education,” Richardson said. “She works tirelessly and she has been an inspiration and teacher for these kids for all this time. The students and the parents of the students love her and very much appreciate what she’s done, so the council felt like it was fitting that we could recognize and honor her.”

Richardson said the competition will have eight categories including painting, colored pencil, pen and ink, clay, watercolor, and sculptural media. He said winners will receive cash prizes and certificates. Richardson said a victory at this competition could even be leveraged into opportunities for students to better their future and pursue further art education opportunities.

“You know, give them a chance to get some recognition and encouragement and, you know, if they’re good at it, even better position them for college scholarships,” Richardson said.

Richardson said art is a way to engage with the world in new and unique ways. He said this competition will give students reason to care about the visual arts and, in turn, expose them to chances to challenge their ideas about the world around them and shape their thinking through artistic expression.