By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Call for entries is open through Nov. 8 for the 41st-annual 5-State Photography Competition and Exhibition at the Hays Arts Center.
The competition is open to photographers in Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri and Colorado.
Photographers of any age, background, experience level, subject preference and style are eligible to participate, said Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director.
Dan White, Kansas City, is a first-time juror for the competition.
The internationally published photographer has won numerous awards, including a Pulitzer Prize as part of the Kansas City Star newspaper team covering the 1981 collapse of the Hyatt Regency Hotel skywalks. White continues his 30-year career as a commercial fine art photographer and was recently inducted into the Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame.
"His work is beautiful. ... I was so honored and pleased that he agreed to do it," Meder said.
White will select the works to be featured in the exhibition and award $1,500 in total cash awards.
Entry information, project details and entry forms are available on the Hays Arts Council website.
A record 671 photographs were submitted last year.
"We know we're going to exhibit at least 125 photos this year. Our goal is 150," Meder said.
The exhibition will anchor the Hays Arts Council Winter Art Walk on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Artists and exhibition venues downtown are still being sought for the art walk.
"I don't care if it's children's art or the most esteemed professional. ... We're not the art police," Meder said.
"We want all forms out there so that people can see artistic expression is very broad, takes many different forms. It's not about somebody needing to be at a certain level or stature for it to be worthy of sharing."