10th Annual State-Fish Art Expo

July 19th at Mall of America

Free Trees for First 5,000 Visitors

Award Winning Youth Art & Live Sea Lamprey on Display

Brooklyn Center, MN—Wildlife Forever will host young artists from throughout the United States in the Central Rotunda of Mall of America during the 2008 State-Fish Art Expo on July 19th. Mall visitors will cast ballots for their favorite piece of winning fish artwork, while Smokey Bear of the U.S. Forest Service and Blue Goose of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service distribute 5,000 free trees to the public.

The winners of the 2008 State-Fish Art Contest will be honored in an Expo Awards Ceremony on July 19th at 10 AM before a large Mall crowd. A massive art display will feature all the winning children’s artwork from across the country.

National ‘Best of Show’ winners in three grade categories (4-6, 7-9 and 10-12) will be announced during the Awards Ceremony. The talented artist in grades 10-12 that is selected as the national “Best of Show” winner will receive a $2,500 tuition scholarship to attend The Art Institutes International Minnesota. The first-runner up nationally in grades 10-12 will receive a $1,000 scholarship to study at the college in downtown Minneapolis.

A highlight of the Expo will be the unveiling of the 2008 Art of Conservation™ Stamp design, selected from among thousands of submissions. As the federal government uses the proceeds from the federal duck stamp to fund wetlands conservation, sales of Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation™ stamps fund conservation education and fishery projects across America.

According to Douglas H. Grann, Wildlife Forever’s President & CEO, “We look forward to celebrating these talented students’ outstanding artwork at our 10th anniversary of the State-Fish Art Expo and recognizing their hard work and accomplishment. The unveiling of the new Art of Conservation™ stamp is an exciting moment that always draws ooohs and ahhhhs from the crowd,” continued Grann.

The public’s votes will choose the winner of the ‘People’s Choice Award’, sponsored by Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff. Voting begins at 10 AM and runs until 3:30 PM. The ‘Peoples’ Choice Award’ will be announced at 5:30 PM.

Following the Awards Ceremony, the Expo attendees and their families will visit Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for a special fishing event with staff of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The young artists will learn basic angling tactics and then test their new skills on the Refuge’s fishing ponds.

“We’re excited to have the opportunity to put fishing rods in the winners’ hands at the 2008 Expo,” said Grann. “By participating in the State-Fish Art Contest, youth learn about habitat and conservation. By attending the Expo, they will learn how to enjoy lakes and rivers through the thrills of angling.”

The Minnesota Twins will recognize the winning artists on the playing field of the Metrodome and on the ‘jumbotron’ screen in a special pre-game ceremony before they face the Texas Rangers on July 20th.

The Twins are also providing complimentary tickets for the artists and their families.

About the State-Fish Art Contest

The Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest encourages young artists nationwide to create an illustration of their state-fish and a written composition on behavior, habitat and efforts to conserve it. Entries are categorized by grade level: 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Winners are selected from each state in the three grade categories and invited to Mall of America in Minnesota to be honored at the State-Fish Art Expo.

About Wildlife Forever

Wildlife Forever is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving America’s wildlife heritage through conservation education, preservation of habitat, and management of fish and wildlife. Working at the grassroots level, Wildlife Forever has funded conservation projects in all 50 states, committing millions of dollars to on-the-ground efforts.

Sponsors for the 10th annual Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest include The Art Institutes International Minnesota, Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff, Mall of America, Minnesota Twins, North American Fishing Club, Rapala, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 3, Bass Pro Shops, Shakespeare, the Izzak Walton League and the U.S. Forest Service, Eastern Region.

For information on the Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest, visit www.statefishart.com. Digital copies of winning artwork are available on request. Contact: Pat Conzemius (763) 253-0222 or pconzemius@wildlifeforever.org.