Round Rock ISD Fine Arts is proud to share that on Saturday, February 24, 2024, twenty-four high school visual arts faculty took 319 students/entries to Region 13 North VASE which resulted in 239 pieces scoring a 4 (highest rating). 30 RRISD visual arts students advanced to State VASE out of 139 advancing entries from our region. 13 of our visual arts faculty have state qualifying students. Take a look at the qualifying work that is state bound in April 2024 here.
I am extremely proud of the work our high school visual arts faculty does on a daily basis that supports students to this level of success outside our district. The VASE Program is the largest scholastic event of its type in the country and showcases student excellence from across the state. Our regional and state advancing numbers tell the story of the high quality art education that Round Rock ISD students receive. Our community is proud of all our visual arts students!
Tim Lowke, Director of Fine Arts – Visual Arts
Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) – Region 13 N Statistics:
19 districts, 38 schools, 106 teachers. 1812 entries, 1567 were juried.
About State VASE: This is the culminating event of a year of diligence and creative genius on behalf of the art students, teachers, and administrators in Texas!!! This event begins with each of the Regional Events scheduled during the month of February. The State of Texas is divided into 20 Education Regional Service Centers. These regions serve as the dividing boundaries for participation in regional events. Students in the various regions are invited to participate in their Regional Event. Students are interviewed and their artworks are juried by certified TAEA jurors. A Rating IV is the mark of an exemplary work of art. This qualifies the student to be entered into the VASE Area Event. After the jury process is complete artworks that qualify to participate are then processed for the State Event.
The State Event is held annually in April. State qualifying artworks are assessed by jurors from across the United States on Friday. Students artists who receive a Rating IV — Exemplary at the State Event will be awarded with a state medallion and will be named an All-State Artist by TAEA and VASE. The artwork created by these students will be featured on the VASE website. Artworks receiving a Rating IV-Exemplary at the State Event are eligible for consideration for the highest honor in VASE, the Gold Seal Award. The State VASE Jurors will select artworks that represent the goals of VASE and exemplary examples of concept, technique, craftsmanship and creativity in student artwork. Students selected as Gold Seal winners will receive a Gold State Medallion and their artwork will be exhibited in a variety of venues across the state, culminating with the Gold Seal Exhibition at the annual TAEA Fall Conference. In an effort to protect a student’s Gold Seal artwork, any artwork entered that is too fragile to travel may not be transported or exhibited at selected venues outside of the state event.
On Saturday of the State VASE Event, students may participate in hands-on workshops, sketching opportunities, and compete for scholarship money. Students are also eligible for memorial scholarships. Teachers may participate in educator workshops. The event is intended to provide a forum for art teachers and students to meet and to grow artistically and personally.
The State Event is designed with the following goals:
- To recognize exemplary high school student artwork from across the state
- To recognize quality high school art instruction
- To recognize art instructors for providing student opportunities
- To inform school administrators of the contributions being made on behalf of their art instructors and define a standards-based program
- To reinforce state and national standards in high school art programs
- To increase TAEA membership at the high school level
- Encourage students to elect visual art classes at the collegiate level
- To provide a safe venue for a quality program that achieves all of the goals above
We look forward to seeing the exciting works of art and artistic growth of students and art programs in Texas.
For additional information regarding the visual arts program of Round Rock ISD, contact Tim Lowke, Director of Fine Arts – Visual Arts at tim_lowke@roundrockisd.org or