The Visual Arts Achievement Program (VAAP) provides local and state recognition for student achievement in the visual arts. The program is designed to offer encouragement to young artists, showcase their work and offer opportunities for advanced training beyond high school.

As an arts in education program, it awards students in grades 6 through 12 that are participating in arts programs within their academic institutions. Students from private studios are not eligible to submit work through their studio instructors.

2025 Update

Due to office and gallery renovations, the Alabama State Council on the Arts will not have an in-person exhibition of the regional winners this year.

Click here to view the online gallery of student works. 

Regional Coordinators

Region 1

Southern Alabama (including Baldwin, Clarke, Choctaw, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, and Washington Counties)

Contact: Sydney Cramer, Mobile Arts Council
scramer@mobilearts.org, (251) 432-9796 

Region 2

Central/Eastern Alabama (including Autauga, Barbour, Butler, Chambers, Clay, Coffee, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery, Pike, Russell, Randolph, and Tallapoosa Counties)

Contact: Dr. Kelly Berwager, Troy University
kberwager@troy.edu, (334) 680-3808 

Region 3

Western Alabama (including Bibb, Chilton, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, and Wilcox Counties) 

Contact: Autumn Fuller, The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa
education@tuscarts.org, (205) 345-9801 

Region 4a

Birmingham Area (including Bessemer, Birmingham, Calhoun, Fairfield, Homewood, Jefferson, Leeds, Midfield, Mountain Brook, Pell City, Talladega, Tarrant, Trussville, and Walker County) 

Contact: Shelbye Reese
shelbyejreese@gmail.com

Region 4b

Central Alabama (including the City of Hoover, Shelby County, and Vestavia Hills) 

Contact: Misty Bennett, University of Montevallo
bennettMJ@montevallo.edu, (205) 665-6396 

Region 5

North Alabama (including Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, Dekalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Morgan, St. Clair, and Winston Counties)

Contact: Laura Smith, Huntsville Museum of Art
lsmith@hsvmuseum.org, (256) 535-6372