Chloe Laun (Visual Arts 2024) and Julia Pauly (Visual Arts 2025) Earn MSHSL Spotlight Awards

Chloe Laun (Visual Arts 2024) (left) received a Spotlight Award at the MSHSL Visual Arts State Festival 2024

May 13, 2024

Perpich Center for Arts Education has hosted the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) 4AA and 5AA Visual Arts regional competitions and the statewide spotlight awards show for many years. This year, students from Perpich Arts High School participated for the first time. Of the 18 entries submitted by Perpich students, 17 were awarded a “superior” – the highest award available. Works by Chloe Laun (Visual Arts 2024) and Julia Pauly (Visual Arts 2025) were awarded a “Spotlight” award, meaning that one of the judges selected their work as one that stood out among the rest.

More than 100 section-level recipients of Spotlight on the Arts recognition awards attended the award show on May 11th. Young artists and art teachers brought in work from all over Minnesota. The work was hung in the morning in the Perpich lower gallery, was viewed and photographed, and awards were presented in the afternoon. For some students, this was their first time installing their work and/or their first gallery show.

“I really enjoy the Spotlight show,” said Kathryn D’Elia, Studio Arts Chair and Visual Arts Instructor. “Young artists come in with all experience levels, from different regions of the state, and finally have their hard work recognized together. The show exhibits the best of the best for high school artists and for many, the show becomes an opportunity to get out to the Cities to participate in museums and other arts opportunities.“

“I love that it gives credit and attention to young artists because they are the changemakers of the future,” said Lindsey Schmitt, Visual Arts Instructor. “Visual art students work so hard making their art meaningful.”

The MSHSL Visual Arts State Festival is a juried art exhibition that includes high school students from all over Minnesota. Not only is it an art exhibition, but the MSHSL also provides art workshops to the accepted students for free. It is one of the only competitions that gives students the jurors’ written feedback to grow as an artist.