For the past two years, VSA Arts of Florida (VSAFL) and Arts for a Complete Education have coordinated the Florida Pride Call for Art, a statewide competition encouraging students with disabilities (elementary through high school) to create original artworks for Lt. Governor Toni Jennings' personal holiday greeting card.
The theme of Florida Pride 2005 was "Cultural Exploration" and participating students were challenged to use art as a means to communicate their ideas about exploring and understanding cultures other than their own. The winner — Shawntavia Rodgers of Sandhill Elementary (Haines City) — was honored at her school by Jennings in November and by the School Board of Polk County in December.
However, VSAFL also wanted to recognize the creativity of the other students who submitted works to the competition and is doing so via a special exhibit, Our Pride: Artwork by Students with Disabilities 2004-2005. This display of submissions by the 54 finalists opens this week with a reception from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wed., Jan 25.
The works are on display Jan. 25-May 31, at Open Door Gallery, VSA Arts of Florida, 3500 E. Fletcher Ave., Suite 234, Tampa. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mon.-Thurs. Call 813-975-6962 or visit www.VSAFL.org for more information.
This article appears in Jan 18-24, 2006.
