October 22, 2004 marked the opening of the select works exhibited for the twentieth edition of the Eduardo Leon Ji- menes Art Contest. The contest was first held in 1964 and is the longest lasting one of its kind in Latin America that is sponsored by private initiative. This was the first year in which the honored works, some 72 of 684 participating entries in 2004, were exhibited at the event’s new home, the Centro Leon of Santiago de los Caballeros.

A discoverer of new talents, both avant-garde and classic, the E. Leon Jimenes Art Contest has been the essence and beacon of Dominican art for the past 40 years. Its steady influence on the national arts has been due to the open and flexible perspective of its visionary directors, who delegate the awards’ selection to international critics of vast experi- ence in artistic appreciation. This blend of pluralities bestows the utmost credibility to the awards, which in turn acts as a magnet to attract the best national talent.

“The contest has been a platform on which to strengthen the vocation of the new artists and to give them exposure,” explains Myrna Guerrero, the curator of the visual arts collection at the Centro Leon. “It is an important recognition of their careers and one that has been opening doors for them since 1964 until today.”

Some of the distinguished artists include those of well-known artistic development — Paul Giudicelli, Guillo Perez, Ada Balcacer and Clara Ledesma, for example. But the contest’s biggest contribution to national art is its gift for projecting new talent. To be selected to participate in the awards is both reward and inspiration for today’s contemporary artists.