The Art of Photography Show International Competition and Exhibition to Open August 29, 2009

The fifth annual Art of Photography Show, an international competition and exhibition of photographic art, will debut the top 111 photographs on August 29, 2009 with the Opening Reception Gala and Awards Ceremony at Lyceum Theatre Gallery located in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. The final photographs were judged and selected from 16,000 entries from 57 countries by Charlotte Cotton, the curator and head of the Photography Department at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

San Diego, CA July 01, 2009 (PressReleasePoint) -- The fifth annual Art of Photography Show, an international competition and exhibition of photographic art, will debut the top 111 photographs on August 29, 2009 with the Opening Reception Gala and Awards Ceremony at Lyceum Theatre Gallery located in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. This free public reception will take place from 6 to 10pm and is expected to attract over 1,000 people, including artists and collectors from around the world.

The final photographs were judged and selected from 16,000 entries from 57 countries by Charlotte Cotton, the curator and head of the Photography Department at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The fact that the Art of Photography Show is judged by a major museum curator each year is what differentiates the competition from other competitions. Photographers rarely have the opportunity to reach these respected and influential people, which is why the show receives so many entries from world-renowned professional photographers. Another amazing thing is that during these tough economic times, the number of entries increased by 31% from the previous year.

“We are proud of the fact that this was one of the largest numbers of entries for a juried competition of photographic arts to ever occur in the United States,” said Steven Churchill, producer of the Art of Photography Show. “Even more thrilling is the overall caliber of work.”

This world-class photography exhibit will run August 29 to November 1, 2009 and is expected to be viewed by over 25,000 people. An elegant 80-page show catalog will be given away to everyone at the Opening Reception Gala on August 29th. An estimated 1,500 people from all over the world will be in attendance, including most of the exhibiting artists. A total of $10,000 in cash awards will be presented that night to the top 15 artists chosen by Ms. Cotton.

To preview a selection of images in the Art of Photography Show 2009, please visit: www.artofphotographyshow.com/media.html. High resolution files are available for publication upon request, as well as artists’ statements, bios, etc.

About The Art of Photography Show
The mission is to provide a truly "artist oriented" show and to create a world-class presentation of photographic art in San Diego. This is the fifth year of this annual photographic exhibition. The Lyceum Theatre Gallery is open and free to the public seven days a week. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and noon to 5 p.m. on the weekends. For more information about the exhibition, please visit www.artofphotographyshow.com.