The IU East campus in Richmond is preparing to host the annual Whitewater Valley Art Competition Saturday, Oct. 8; artists ages 18 and older may submit their entries Sept. 26-30 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Whitewater Hall art gallery.

Each year, 300 to 400 pieces of art are entered. Previous entries have included works from high schools and universities, art organizations and centers or independent artists. Artists are from locations within a 300-mile radius of Richmond.

Entries may be drawings, paintings, mixed media, photography, printmaking, computer graphics or relief sculpture. The competition is also accepting full sculpture entries for the first time this year. All flat entries must be ready to hang and sculpture must be stable. Entries will not be accepted after Sept. 30.

Fees are $15 for one entry or $25 for two entries, with a limit of two entries per artist.

Accepted entries will be on exhibit in the Whitewater art gallery from Oct. 17 to Jan. 5.

The evening before the competition, IU East will be hosting an art auction to benefit the new art gallery. All artwork entered in the competition will be part of an Art Walk, in which auction attendees will have the opportunity to view work and, if interested, purchase after the competition.

This year, the competition will be juried by Patterson Sims, director of the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, N.J.

The event is sponsored in part by the Wayne County Foundation. A list of regional pick-up points and dates is available on the application form.

Entry forms, information on eligibility and a calendar is available at this Web site:

http://www.iue.edu/artgallery/index.shtml