From Tennessee Voices to America’s Future
A Statewide Celebration of Student Creativity, Artistic Achievement, and Educational Excellence
OVERVIEW
Visualize is a statewide celebration of student creativity, artistic achievement, and educational excellence presented by the Department of Art and Design and Todd Art Gallery at Middle Tennessee State University.
Developed as a culminating component of Tennessee’s observance of America’s Semiquincentennial, Visualize brings together outstanding student artists, educators, schools, homeschool programs, and community-based youth arts organizations from across the state while providing opportunities for recognition, exhibition, scholarship, and creative engagement.
Participation in Visualize does not require artwork to address America 250 themes. The exhibition is intended to celebrate exemplary contemporary student artwork reflecting the diverse interests, experiences, perspectives, and creative explorations of Tennessee students.
VISUALIZE CONSISTS OF FOUR INTERRELATED COMPONENTS
I. VISUALIZE: A WINNERS’ CIRCLE INVITATIONAL K–12 EXHIBITION
The core exhibition component of Visualize.
This statewide invitational exhibition showcases exemplary student artwork selected by educators and exhibition committees from schools and educational programs throughout Tennessee.
Media may include:
• Drawing
• Painting
• Printmaking
• Photography
• Ceramics
• Sculpture
• Fiber Arts
• Mixed Media
• Digital Art and Design
• Illustration
• Other Traditional and Contemporary Visual Arts
The Winners’ Circle Invitational serves as the primary recognition exhibition for student artistic achievement and includes awards, scholarships, certificates, and special recognition.
Beyond the Exhibition
Outstanding participants and award recipients may be considered for future solo, paired, or small-group exhibition opportunities within Todd Art Gallery and its auxiliary exhibition spaces. These opportunities are intended to encourage continued artistic growth and provide emerging artists with additional public visibility beyond the exhibition itself.
II. AMERICA 250 – TENNESSEE POSTER DIVISION
A statewide poster exhibition celebrating the role of visual communication, design, and civic storytelling.
Students are invited to explore themes related to Tennessee, America, history, citizenship, community, innovation, freedom, and the future through poster design.
Media may include:
• Traditional Poster Design
• Graphic Design
• Illustration
• Typography
• Digital Media
• Mixed Media Poster Design
Separate specifications and submission guidelines apply.
Beyond the Exhibition
Selected works from the AMERICA 250 – TENNESSEE Poster Division and Expanded Poster Division may remain on display throughout 2027 within the Todd Art Gallery and affiliated exhibition spaces within the Todd Art Building. Selected designs may also be reproduced and made available to gallery visitors, educational partners, community organizations, and exhibition audiences as commemorative, educational, promotional, or interpretive materials supporting Tennessee’s observance of America’s Semiquincentennial.
III. AMERICA 250 – TENNESSEE EXPANDED POSTER DIVISION
An innovative exhibition category encouraging students to extend the poster format beyond traditional two-dimensional presentation.
Students may incorporate sculptural, dimensional, interactive, installation-based, or mixed-media approaches while retaining the poster’s communicative intent.
Media may include:
• Sculptural Posters
• Dimensional Posters
• Mixed Media Posters
• Installation-Based Posters
• Experimental Graphic Communication
Separate specifications and submission guidelines apply.
IV. TENNESSEE ART EDUCATORS: EXEMPLARY
A companion exhibition recognizing the creative accomplishments of Tennessee art educators and creative mentors.
More than “Beyond the Bell,” this juried exhibition celebrates the artistic practices, research, creative scholarship, and professional work of the individuals who inspire Tennessee’s next generation of artists, makers, designers, and visual thinkers.
The exhibition is open to Tennessee visual art educators, teaching artists, homeschool art instructors, community arts educators, museum educators, youth arts leaders, and other individuals who provide meaningful visual arts instruction and creative mentorship to Tennessee students.
The exhibition highlights the importance of maintaining an active creative practice while recognizing the individuals whose contributions extend beyond traditional classroom settings and enrich Tennessee’s broader creative community.
Beyond the Exhibition
Exemplary participants may also be considered for future exhibition opportunities within Todd Art Gallery and its auxiliary exhibition spaces, recognizing the important role of practicing artist-educators in shaping Tennessee’s creative future.
VISUALIZE GUIDING PRINCIPLE
Recognize that artistic excellence takes many forms. Some students communicate through traditional visual arts, others through design, illustration, and visual storytelling. By bringing these distinct yet related forms together under a common framework, Visualize celebrates both artistic achievement and creative possibility.
AMERICA 250 RELATIONSHIP
Visualize serves as a component of Tennessee’s observance of America’s Semiquincentennial.
Participation in the Winners’ Circle Invitational Exhibition does not require artwork to address America 250 themes.
The America 250 – Tennessee Poster Division and America 250 – Tennessee Expanded Poster Division offer dedicated opportunities for students to engage with themes related to the nation’s 250th anniversary through design, communication, and creative interpretation.
LOOKING AHEAD
Visualize serves as the first component of a broader initiative celebrating creativity, communication, and artistic achievement among Tennessee students and educators.
Participants are encouraged to complete the Visualize Interest Form and watch for future announcements, prospectuses, and participation opportunities related to additional statewide initiatives, including:
AFTERWORDS
A statewide celebration of student writing, poetry, Spoken Word, storytelling, and literary expression. AFTERWORDS provides opportunities for students to share their voices through creative and scholarly writing while exploring the power of language, narrative, and communication.
MEDIA ARTS TENNESSEE
A statewide exhibition and showcase highlighting animation, filmmaking, video production, motion graphics, digital storytelling, game design, interactive media, and emerging creative technologies.
Additional information regarding these initiatives will be announced as development continues.
Together, these programs reflect a growing commitment to recognizing and celebrating the diverse creative talents of Tennessee students and educators.
CONCLUSION
Together, these components create a statewide platform celebrating Tennessee’s students, educators, and future creative leaders while laying the foundation for opportunities in visual arts, literary arts, media arts, and creative communication.
