By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
The 37th annual Five State Photography exhibition and competition will kick off Saturday with an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th.
The exhibition typically accompanies the Winter Art Walk, but that event was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.
Submissions this year were also made differently, with photographers sending entries unframed, to be later framed by the Arts Council for the exhibition.
Despite the change in format this year, Hays Arts Council executive director Brenda Meder said this year's show drew considerable interest from photographers.
"We received 453 photographs this year, from Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma Missouri and Colorado," Meder said.
She said while Kansas photography always dominated entries, with the digital submission this year, regional entries increased significantly.
"Tons of people that have never been part of our project before — they entered. Some didn't make it in, but a lot of them did," Meder said. "We had a lot of people this year, unfortunately, (who) didn't make the boards because we had so many people enter."
Initially, she said they planned to frame and present only 100 photos, but so many came in, they expanded the number to 150.
"So there will be 150 photographs in this year's Five State Photography, and we are very excited about it," Meder said.
During the open house, the Arts Center will also host the Fort Hays State University Senior exhibitions of Tristan Smith and Matthew Miller and Amy Warfield in their annex space at 1010 Main.
"With all of the other wonderful things going on downtown, including the new skating area over in the pavilion, I figure that it will keep people moving and fluid on what I hope is a great day," Meder said.
Following the opening exhibition, the show will remain in the gallery until Feb. 12.