Press

The Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition opens at the New York State Museum on June 4. The annual exhibition showcases artwork created by SUNY’s talented student artists from across New York State, the State Education Department announced today.

Open through October 23, 2016, the exhibition features artworks chosen by individual art departments across SUNY’s campuses, including drawings, paintings, photography, sculpture and digitally produced works. The exhibition includes more than 60 artworks selected from approximately 300 submissions. 

A list of the artists featured in the exhibition is available at the following link: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/about/press/kits/best-suny.  Three student artists will receive $1,000 scholarships. Honorable Mention awards of $500 will be given to four additional students. SUNY will announce the awardees later this month.

“The Board of Regents recognizes the importance of art education,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “That’s why we’re proud to showcase the work of talented SUNY student artists from across the state at the New York State Museum. Now thousands of Museum visitors will have the opportunity to view these impressive artworks over the next several months.”

“The annual Best of SUNY exhibit at the New York State Museum has become a point of tremendous pride not only for the students whose work is on display, but also for the faculty who mentor them, their home campuses, and our entire university system,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “The pieces chosen for this year’s exhibit are once again inspired and breathtaking. Congratulations to all of our student artists.”

“We are honored to once again host the Best of SUNY,” said State Museum Director Mark Schaming. “The quality and diversity of the artwork on display is a reflection of the hard work, dedication, and extraordinary talent of SUNY art students and deserves to be shared with the public.”

Initiated in 2002, the SUNY student art shows are a platform for the work of SUNY’s most talented student artists to be seen by a wider audience.  SUNY student art is also on display year-round at State University Plaza in Albany, SUNY Global Center in New York City, and Governor Cuomo’s Washington, DC office.  

Photos from the exhibition are available at: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/about/press/kits/best-suny.

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, with 64 college and university campuses located within 30 miles of every home, school, and business in the state. In 2014-15, SUNY served nearly 1.3 million students, including nearly 600,000 in credit-bearing courses and programs and nearly 700,000 through continuing-education and community-outreach programs. SUNY students and faculty across the state make significant contributions to research and discovery, resulting in nearly $1 billion of externally sponsored activity each year. There are 3 million SUNY alumni worldwide and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree are SUNY alumni. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

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