Art of the State: Pennsylvania 2020 Exhibition Winners Announced

Harrisburg, PA – The State Museum of Pennsylvania today announced the winners of Art of the State: Pennsylvania 2020.

Art of the State is an annual juried exhibition that has been showcasing the work of Pennsylvania’s artists at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since 1968. The body of art that has been exhibited reflects more than a half century of creative endeavor in the Keystone State. Exhibitors have shared their ideas and engaged viewers in the categories of photography, painting, work on paper, craft, and sculpture. Awards were given in each of those categories.

The William D. Davis Memorial Award for Drawing was also selected. The Art Docents Corps of The State Museum selected its Docents’ Choice Award.

Winners were chosen from 108 works selected from 1,901 entries.

This year’s first-prize winners are from Allegheny, Indiana, Northumberland, Philadelphia and Union, counties. Special awards went to artists from Columbia and Luzerne counties.

Due to the pandemic, prizes were awarded at the 2020 Art of the State virtual award ceremony broadcast via social media on Sunday, September 13. The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission’s state-owned historic sites and museums, including The State Museum, remain closed to the public to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Art of State is presented by The State Museum of Pennsylvania in association with the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation.

The Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation is the nonprofit partner of the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, the state agency charged with collecting, preserving, researching and interpreting the treasures of Pennsylvania. Through private contributions, PHF supports PHMC in protecting and providing access to 24 historic sites and museums, approximately 9 million objects, and more than 250 million archival items.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, adjacent to the State Capitol in Harrisburg, is one of 24 historic sites and museums administered by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History. The State Museum offers expansive collections interpreting Pennsylvania’s fascinating heritage. With exhibits examining the dawn of geologic time, the Native American experience, the Colonial and Revolutionary eras, a pivotal Civil War battleground, and the commonwealth's vast industrial age, The State Museum demonstrates that Pennsylvania's story is America's story.

For more information visit The State Museum of Pennsylvania website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639

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The following prizes were awarded at the 2020 Art of the State virtual award ceremony broadcast via social media on Sunday, September 13. Cash awards for each category are first prize, $500; second prize, $300; third, $200.

The award ceremony, 360-degree virtual exhibit, an exhibit catalogue pdf, and programming announcements can be accessed on the Art of the State 2020 landing page.