
URBANNA—Bay Transit, the public transportation division of Bay Aging, and the RAL Art Center recently announced 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, VMFA director of statewide programs and exhibits and Paul Mellon Collection educator, has agreed to serve as a judge.
“We are thrilled to support Art in Transit this year,” said Allison. “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 is 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,” he said.
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 may submit their work from 10 a.m.-noon April 27, 28 and 29.
“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.”