High School VASE - Home

Participant Info

High School VASE

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• Teacher / Sponsor Registration ← START HERE
• HSVASE Home
• HSVASE Overview
• HSVASE Teacher Manual (UPDATED FOR 2025)
• Student Intent Form (PDF) (PRACTICE ONLY) — English | Spanish
• Universal Artwork Release Form (PDF) — English | Spanish — Turn in at Event
• Regional Director Application
• UIL Eligibility Requirements (External)
• High School VASE Rules & Policies (PDF)
• VASE Blue Ribbon Committee

Mission Statement

The mission of the High School Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) is to recognize exemplary student achievement in the Visual Arts by providing high school art students and programs a standard of excellence in which to achieve.

History of High School VASE

Texas High School Visual Art Scholastic Event (VASE) celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2019. The first VASE event was held in 1994 with just over 400 student entries; after 25 years, High School VASE entries number around 35,000. Students create artworks, write about their creative processes and understanding of visual art, and articulate information about their artwork during an interview with a VASE juror, who evaluates their work using a standards-based rubric.

Academically eligible high school students in grades 9-12 from throughout Texas can participate in VASE, entered by teachers who are members in good standing with TAEA. Teachers/sponsors register and set up a teacher page that provides important dates, payment information, event documents, and feedback opportunities. District Arts Administrators can also set up an Admin page. Each student can submit a maximum of two art entries.

Twenty-nine regional events are scheduled based on the 20 TEA Education Service Center regions, and zones created in larger regions. Each regional meet has a Regional Director responsible for the planning and running of the event. Regional Directors and their events can be located on the Regional Locator.

• Online registration opens in November and closes in January.
• Regional Events are held on Saturdays during the month of February.
• Teachers are responsible for registering online at https://www.taea.org/VASE/.
• Teachers must arrange payment by deadline, and must verify that a student is academically eligible to participate.
• Students must attend the Regional Event & have their original artwork with them at the Event.
• Jurors interview students & evaluate artwork at the Regional Event using a rating system based on a regional rubric.
• Each student who enters VASE may receive a Certificate of Merit for participation at the Regional level.
• Artworks receiving a Superior Rating (IV) are presented a Regional Medal.
• A set percentage of artworks with Superior Ratings advance to the State Event & are presented an Area Medal.
• State-qualified artwork is held by the Regional Director & transported to the state event.
• Students are not interviewed at the State Event; a panel of jurors evaluates state entries based on a state rubric.
• Artworks receiving an Exemplary Rating (IV) are awarded a State VASE medallion.
• The state jury panel selects Gold Seal winners from those artworks receiving an Exemplary Rating (IV)
• Gold Seal artworks receive a State Gold Seal medallion.
• More information about the High School VASE event and its standards & policies is available in the High School VASE Rules & Policies