Latino Art Beat is launching its 19th consecutive annual art competition by offering scholarship support to currently enrolled high school juniors and seniors anywhere in the USA who win in this year’s milestone visual arts competition. The general theme of Latino Art Beats annual competition reflects the history and culture of Latin America, themed “What Hispanic Heritage and Culture Means to Me?” Students need not be of Latino descent to enter the competition. Latino Art Beat winning students have been awarded over $4 million in scholarship support to date. The 2015 national competition winner, Anais Perez of Doral Academy, Miami was awarded a combined scholarship of $146,000 through the Maryland Institute College of Art (Baltimore) and Latino Art Beat scholarship partnership.

With the recent restoration of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba, Latino Art Beat is reaching out to the youth of both countries in the interests of mutual understanding, art exchanges and friendship. Accordingly, this year Latino Art Beat is offering as its alternate competition theme: “Friendship: Between the Youth of the United States and Cuba,” whereby students may draw or paint their interpretation of this exciting competition theme. Winning artwork will be displayed at various venues on a national basis and ideally might also be displayed in Cuba. The Illinois competition deadline date is May 27, 2016. Local deadlines may vary in participating cities. For more information about this year’s competition please visit the Latino Art Beat website, www.latinoartbeat.com.

Photo: Don Rossi Nuccio with art students and their teacher in Cien Fuegos, CUBA