For the fourth consecutive year, ART Plus showcased alumni talent and raised additional funding for OSU Institute of Technology’s School of Visual Communications Student Scholarship Fund.

The annual art show and sale was held April 7 at Fly Loft in downtown Tulsa in the Brady Arts District. Alumni of OSUIT’s Visual Communications programs donate the art pieces for sale during the event.

James McCullough, dean of the School of Visual Communications, estimates this year’s event will have raised nearly $11,000, bringing to the four-year total to about $50,000. In that time the school has been able to provide close to $25,000 in scholarships to 18 students.

“ART Plus continues to push the two main agendas that we have established for it. Raising scholarship monies in support of our second year students that are in financial need while increasing awareness of the OSUIT School of Visual Communications and the extremely talented alumni that have graduated from our programs of study,” McCullough said.

With help from sponsors covering the majority of expenses, McCullough said the funds raised through the art sale go directly to the scholarship fund.

Twenty-seven alumni artists contributed 51 pieces to this year’s ART Plus. The pieces that didn’t sell the night of ART Plus are still available to purchase for those who could not attend the event, McCullough said.

“I was very pleased with the variety of artists and the pieces that were received this year. Each year brings a certain number of returning artists, but also several new ones,” he said. “We are striving to continue to invite new artists each year, to encourage different and new art and approaches to that art and the styles presented. This helps make the exhibit new and different each year, so as to encourage people to want to come back and purchase something else each time they visit.”

This was the second year ART Plus was held at Fly Loft on the first Friday of April.

“Scheduling this event during the First Friday Art Crawl in the Brady Arts District of Tulsa has brought much bigger crowds and interest into who and what we have to offer,” McCullough said. “We’re already planning for next year’s event.”

For more on ART Plus or the art pieces still available go to the ART Plus website artplusosuit.org.