Amateur and professional artists are invited to exhibit their photography at the Fifth Annual Fran Achen Photography Competition to be displayed from July 5 to July 27 at the Whitewater Arts Alliance’s Cultural Arts Center on 402 W. Main Street in Whitewater.
Entries were due June 20 though entries are being accepted as space allows. An awards ceremony is slated Sunday, July 13 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Center.
“The Fran Achen contest is an excellent opportunity for photographers of all ages to follow in the tradition of artistic excellence established by one of Whitewater’s most revered and respected resident artists. Each year we see an amazing range of subjects and aesthetic perspectives from local and regional photographers, from wildlife to portraiture work, that help to tell this story of this remarkable community and its residents,” Mark McPhail, president of the Whitewater Arts Alliance said.
“The exhibition is a fitting tribute to a man whom our community remembers not only as a photographer, but as a teacher, historian, and friend,” McPhail said.
Achen was a long-time Whitewater resident, teacher, and local photographer. However, he is best remembered for his photographic collection chronicling the history of Whitewater.
One new feature of this year’s show will be a display of color photographs not on display at this show before. Achen’s son, Chad, an accomplished photographer in his own right, is supplying photos for the exhibit.
Individuals who wish to submit photos should complete an entry form and send it to the Whitewater Arts Alliance, P.O. Box 311, Whitewater, WI 53190. Guidelines (including sizes, formats and entry fees) and entry forms are available at local banks, the public library, the Whitewater Cultural Arts Center or at www.whitewaterarts.org .
Entries fees are as follows for up to three photos: Youth (ages 5 to 12), $5; Teen (ages 13 – 18), $10; *Amateur (19 and up) $25, and; *Accomplished, $25. *WAA members can enter a fourth photo for free.
Prizes will be awarded for Best of Show Award ($125); in the adult division the prizes are $100 for first, $50 for second and $25 for third place; in the youth and teen divisions prizes will be awarded for first ($25), second ($15), and third place ($10). Awards will be presented at the Opening Reception on July 13 at about 2 p.m.
“This is the fifth year of this show, and we are delighted to once again honor the late Fran Achen and his historic photography. This is a fantastic way for anyone with an interest in photography to share their talents,” Katherine Conover said.
“We hope to feature many more photographs in the youth and teen categories. To that end, we have reduced the entry fees for those age groups,” she said.
For more information contact Conover at (262) 473-3702 or kmconover@yahoo.com.
For those who wish to sell their photos, both the photographers and the Whitewater Arts Alliance will benefit from their creative talents with the alliance receiving 20 percent of the sale from its members and 30 percent from non-members.
