Amateur and professional artists are invited to exhibit their photography at the 11th annual Fran Achen Photography Competition to be displayed in July.
The photography competition, as well as exhibition are hosted by the Whitewater Arts Alliance and will be held July 2-26.
This year’s event will be an online virtual show during July featuring all the photos entered. A live in-gallery show will also be held if the Cultural Arts Center Gallery is open in July.
Currently, the gallery has been temporarily closed due to Covid-19, and the decision on its status for July is pending.
Complete rules and entry information are available on the Alliance’s website at whitewaterarts.org/fran-achen-2020
The virtual show will be displayed on the above website along with the award winners, when announced.
The Whitewater Arts Alliance is hopeful the gallery will be open and that the in-gallery show may be held, but the timing of the gallery’s re-opening is uncertain at the present time.
In any case, the Alliance is committed to continuing the show’s long tradition and producing it for the 11th straight year.
Jeff McDonald, WAA board member and Fran Achen contest chair, said the event is one of the biggest of the year.
“The Fran Achen show is truly one of the highlights of the year. Fran Achen was an exceptional photographer and his catalog of images continues to inspire. This show, organized in his honor, is an excellent opportunity to showcase the outstanding work created by both established and aspiring area photographers,” McDonald said.
“Viewing each year’s collection is a real treat. It is fascinating to see the many ways these artists interpret the world through their images. I hope the needed changes in this year’s format will be well-received by everyone.”
Achen was a longtime Whitewater resident, teacher, and local photographer. He is most remembered for his photographic collection, which chronicles the history of Whitewater.
Born in Kenosha in 1916, his interest in photography began after high school. He spent almost two years delivering cars for the Nash automobile factory. “It seemed like such fun to explore America, so that started my interest in photography and geography, which became my major in college,” he said.
In 1938, when Fran enrolled at Whitewater State Teachers College, it was the first year enrollment went over one thousand. Fran remembered being the last one to register, making the enrollment that year 1,008 students.
When he was an undergraduate student at the college, he served as a photographer for the Royal Purple and the former Minneiska yearbook, as well as working as a freelance photographer for the Janesville Gazette, making “a buck a picture” which helped to pay his way through school.
While attending college, Fran met his wife, Lydia. They were married for 55 years and had three children – Chap, Randi, and Jim.
