It is easy to see that art is considered important here on campus. Everywhere one turns, there is a new painting or photograph, or other piece of art popping up on a regular basis. Now, the university is putting out a call for artists to showcase their work during the 2004-05 academic year. All interested visual artists are encouraged to submit their work for consideration. The exhibitions will be located in the University Union and the Warwick Center and will run for six weeks at a time. All mediums are eligible and submissions must be ready to display. “The university is encouraging students to participate and take advantage of the opportunity to exhibit their work,” said Shannon Hooker, assistant director of the Campus Activities and Involvement Center. “We will be showcasing all forms of expression this year. This is the first year that we will be featuring three dimensional art such as sculptures.” Lanier Shepard, local artist and UNCW alumni, points out that these exhibitions can be extremely beneficial for aspiring artists. “Shows like this give local artists a chance to show off their work, and it gives students a chance to compete with other artists in the community,” Shepard said. During his time at UNCW, Shepard was awarded Best in Show for his artwork in a student exhibit in 2001. Artists should submit no more than 10 35mm slides that they feel best represents their work. Hooker said that a CD-ROM containing artwork is acceptable due to the high cost of slides. In addition, the university requests a current resume and a statement for consideration by the selection committee. The deadline for submission is April 9 at 5 p.m. Each artist’s name should be included on each slide and all artwork should be accompanied with a self-addressed stamped envelope in order for the work to be returned. Submissions should be mailed or delivered to room 209 in the Campus Activities and Involvement Center, University Union. In addition to the upcoming exhibitions, Hooker said that the university will host an open art hanging, which will be yet another opportunity for students to show their work. The open hanging will be in the University Union all next week and will be run on a first come, first serve basis. For more information, contact Hooker at 910-962-7600 or visit www.uncw.edu/arts.