Visual Arts Classic(VAC)-Competitive Art Team

In Wisconsin (U.S.A.) we run a Regional and State Visual Arts Classic(VAC)competition as an extra curricular activity every year.  Our High School has participated for the past 20+ years. Any art teacher who is a member of the Wisconsin Arts Education Association WAEA/NAEA can join with a team of up to 12 members.  Recently several art teachers from other districts have asked for information about VAC.  I thought what better place than the classroom blog to post information and current pictures from this years competition.

A Quick Overview of VAC

• VAC is a competition for high school Art students (grades 9-12)

• Eleven studio categories

• Yearly theme

• In-depth research on the 12 selected artists whose work relates to the theme

• Scores are earned both individually and as a team

• Opportunity to create artwork in response to a prompt as a “long-term” project

• Challenge to create artwork in response to a prompt as an “on-site” project

• Team participation in Quiz Bowl competition

• Team participation in Critical Thinking competition-judged strongly on teamwork.

• Teams are composed of a group of 12 students

• Schools may register a half team of 6

• Team’s advisor/coach must be a current member of WAEA

• No more than 2 individuals from the same team may compete in a studio area

• All first places advance from Regional to State competition

• Cell phone use during competition will result in disqualification

• Friendly, non-threatening competition!




State Competition 2012 @ UW-Madison



VAC will help the student to develop and expand these skills:

- Conduct research

- Work independently

- Work cooperatively as part of a team

- Stay on task

- Find exemplars in art from which to model and learn

- Work out ideas in written form and sketches until he/she arrives at a solution

- Develop ability in the medium/technique of the problem through inquiry and practice

- Critique with knowledge his/her own work, peers, as well as that of artists

- Accept constructive criticism

- Search for new answers

- Manage time while working towards deadlines

- Take risks in solving problems

- Evaluate and be able to talk about his/her artwork

- Take charge of his/her own learning

-For more information, registration dates, forms, etc.  Check out the WAEA Visual Arts Classic site http://www.wiarted.org/visual-arts-classic.html

I'm interested in learning of other states/countries that run similar programs. Maybe we can collaborate and learn from each other.