Shelton State To Host 'Realizing The Dream' Essay and Art Contest Exhibition

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Shelton State Community College (SSCC) on Wednesday announced it will exhibit winning artwork from the annual Realizing the Dream Essay and Art Contest as part of its ongoing "Realizing the Dream" series of events.

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The winning artwork will be displayed March 27 – April 7 in the Cadence Bank Art Gallery on the SSCC Martin campus. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

“We are very excited to follow up the success of last year’s inaugural Realizing the Dream Art Show with an expanded showing of student artwork this year,” said Carson Grubaugh, who works as a Shelton State art instructor and is one of the judges for this year’s contest. “Over eighty young artists from West Alabama will share their ideas on how to realize Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream through commitment and sacrifice.”

The college will also host a free reception for the winners in the Alabama Power Recital Hall on March 30 at 5:30 p.m. The exhibition and the reception are free and open to the public.

SSCC says contest submissions require composition of a 500-word essay or the creation of a piece of artwork reflecting the 2023 theme, “Realizing the Dream through Commitment and Sacrifice.”

Winners will then be selected at the middle and high school levels.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Realizing the Dream Committee consists of representatives from Stillman College, Shelton State Community College, Tuscaloosa’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and The University of Alabama.

The goal of the committee is to raise consciousness about injustice and promote human equality, peace and social justice through creating educational and cultural opportunities for growth, empowerment and social change.

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