Guest Juror: Rita Fucillo, Publisher, Art New England

17th Annual Regional High School Exhibition | February 21-March 21, 2025

AVA Gallery and Art Center, located at 11 Bank Street in Lebanon, NH, is pleased to present the 17th Annual High School Exhibition, artwork created by regional high school students who have been nominated for participation by their art teachers.  The exhibition will be featured in our named galleries: Rebecca Lawrence, Elizabeth Rowland Mayor, E.N. Wennberg, and Clifford B. West, from February 21 – March 21, 2025. A festive award celebration will take place during the opening reception on Friday, February 21, 5-7 PM.

AVA contacted regional Vermont and New Hampshire public, private, and vocational high schools, encouraging the art faculty to nominate works by students who show exceptional promise in a variety of creative disciplines.  Participating high schools include Cardigan Mountain, Hanover High School, Hartford High School, Kimball Union Academy, Lebanon High School, Mascoma Valley Regional High School, New England School of the Arts, Proctor Academy, Rivendell Academy, The Sharon Academy, Stevens High School, Thetford Academy, Windsor High School, and Woodstock Union High School. Nominated students have submitted work in seven categories: Ceramics, Drawing (marker, pen and ink, pencil and colored pencil), Mixed group: mixed media, collage, printmaking, graphic design, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, and Wearable Art (jewelry, fiber arts/textile design).

This year’s awards will be chosen by Artist Mentor and Publisher of Art New England, Rita Fucillo. Rita Fucillo is grateful for an extensive and happy career spent working in the arts. A graduate of Boston’s Commonwealth School and Brandeis University, her experience includes theatrical general management, arts marketing and communications, public relations, theatrical producing, and, most prominently, arts publishing. Fucillo is publisher of Art New England magazine as well as numerous custom publishing titles, most serving the arts and hospitality sectors. Guest speaker appearances include Sotheby’s Institute of Art; TransCultural Exchange Conference; American Women Artists; multiple arts association presentations and keynotes; and numerous Canvas Fine Arts events, among others. Rita Fucillo is also a certified life coach, specializing in coaching artists and creatives on their personal and professional goals. Rita is delighted to be invited, “what could be more exciting than encouraging young artists along their path? Nothing! This is an honor”.

Opening reception and awards celebration, Friday, February 21, 5-7 PM. Free and open to the public.

Generously sponsored by: Mascoma Bank and Blackberry Hill Art Center, Orford, NH