Juried exhibition launches with reception, awards, tribute to former Galleries director

CLEVELAND, Ohio (April 20, 2022) – To commemorate 50 years of CSU Student Art Shows, The Galleries at Cleveland State University will celebrate milestones, student success and 30 years of dedicated service of retired former director Robert Thürmer beginning this Friday, April 22, 2022 from 5 – 8 p.m. with an opening reception in the galleries at 1307 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

The 50^th Annual Student Art Show represents the first full-scale gallery opening in three years and features 128 works of art by 55 students, with art professionals jurying submissions. Items on display include painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, graphic design, video, animation and sculpture. Many of the works are for sale; large cash prizes are awarded thanks to generous donors.

The exhibition runs Tuesdays – Saturdays from noon – 5 p.m. through Saturday, May 28. It will be closed on Sundays and Mondays.

“Annual juried student art shows are a vital standard for academic art galleries,” said Kendall Christian, director of The Galleries at CSU. “For many, it’s the first time they are critiqued by outside judges.”

The Merit Scholar Exhibition in the North Gallery features work by recipients of the CSU Art Department Merit Scholarships. This year’s scholars are Evan Elchert, Treat Hanks, Stephanie Hering, Tyler Jefferies, Gabriella Kollar, Aurora Laux, Anthony Sciarappa and Jurnee Weeams.

“It’s exciting to be a part of the history and tradition for this Cleveland art scene milestone and for CSU as a whole,” said Sciarappa, CSU senior, scholar and graphic design major. “The energy, enthusiasm and amazing work permeating this art show has been a highlight of my time here at CSU.”   

The Department of Art and Design at CSU began its full-time art program in 1971 with concentrations in studio art, art education and art history. Each year, approximately $40,000 in scholarships are awarded to full-time art majors based on artistic merit. Scholarship recipients are required to display their work.

Through a special arrangement with the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA), the CSU/CIA post-baccalaureate program allows select recent graduates of CSU’s Department of Art and Design to continue their studies at CIA for one year, tuition-free—to help further develop their creative and expressive abilities, polish their portfolio and to prepare them for professional work or graduate study to receive a Masters of Fine Arts degree.

For more information about the 50th Annual Student Art Show and Merit Scholar Exhibition, visit https://class.csuohio.edu/art-gallery.

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About Cleveland State University

Founded in 1964, Cleveland State University is a public research institution that provides a dynamic setting for Engaged Learning. With nearly 16,000 students, 10 colleges and schools and more than 175 academic programs, CSU was again chosen for 2021 as one of America’s best universities by U.S. News & World Report, including the #1 public university in Ohio for social mobility. Find more information at www.csuohio.edu.