Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) to sponsor 2024 Art in Transit judged competition

(Urbanna, VA) – Bay Transit, the public transportation division of Bay Aging, and the RAL Art Center are pleased to announce that the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) has committed to be a Gold Level sponsor of the 2024 Art in Transit judged competition. Additionally, Jeffrey Allison, the VMFA’s Director of Statewide Programs and Exhibits and their Paul Mellon Collection Educator, has agreed to serve as one of the judges of this year’s art competition.

“We are thrilled to support Art in Transit this year,” Mr. Allison said. “Being able to support public transportation in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula along with improved access to the arts in the region is exactly the kind of event the VMFA loves to get involved with. We were very impressed with the winning artwork from last year, and I know it will be a challenge to help select the top three works of art from this year’s competition,” Allison added.

Allison is very familiar with the RAL Art Center after guest lecturing there in the past. “The natural beauty of the area is a wellspring for inspiration. We see this from the artists at RAL and other art centers in the region.” Allison has been with the VMFA since 1997 and has given many lectures and workshops in Kilmarnock and Tappahannock over the years.

Artists throughout the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula, and Richmond area will be invited to participate in the fourth edition of the regional Art in Transit contest when the call for entries is announced later this month. The deadline for entries and art submissions to the RAL Art Center in Kilmarnock has been expanded to multiple dates next April to encourage participation. Artists will be able to submit their artwork beginning on Saturday, April 27^th, 2024, as well as Sunday, April 28^th, or Monday, April 29^th, from 10 AM and 12 PM. “Each year, we have received more entries from across the region and wanted to make it easier for people to travel to Kilmarnock to drop them off,” said RAL Art Center Executive Director Sharon Stone. “Last year’s first place winner, Sarah Marshall Elliott, is from Richmond. We want to make sure that it is convenient as possible for artists from across the region to participate, so we’ve added dates for them to drop off their entries.”

For more information about Bay Transit, please visit www.BayTransit.org. For more information about the RAL Art Center, please visit https://www.ralartcenter.com/.