Guanajuato, Gto., May 26, 2016. In the University of Guanajuato (UG) there was the award ceremony of the Contest "Estimulos 2016" from the Department of Visual Arts which this year reached its 14th edition.

The Director of the Department of Visual Arts, M. Randy Gerard Walz Piersinsky revealed that the first place was for the student Marisol Guerrero Morales (tenth semester), the second was obtained by Enrique López Llamas (tenth semester), and the third was obtained by Mariana Mauricio Ajo (fourth semester).

For their outstanding participation, Joaquín Vidaurri (sixth semester), Jessica Rivera (sixth semester), Carolina Ramírez Berrocal (seventh semester) and Abner Andrés Espinoza (fourth semester), received honorific mentions.

In the ceremony, UG's General Rector, Dr. Luis Felipe Guerrero Agripino, reminded that this contest emerged 14 years ago as an initiative of Salvador Covarrubias, Ex-Director of the then School of Plastic Arts, who was present at the event.

He added that the institutionalization of this contest shows the importance the artistic disciplines have for the University of Guanajuato, and congratulated the students who participated in the contest, as well as professors and directors of the Department of Visual Arts.

The Director of the Division of Architecture, Art and Design (DAAD) sustained that the delivery of this stimulus is now a tradition at UG, and represents "above all, a recognition to whom acquires the occupation of art, which is only obtained in responsibility, practice, and discipline." He also highlighted that this is a contest where the students compete against themselves to experience and go out of their comfort zone.

In his intervention, Rector of Campus Guanajuato, Dr. Javier Corona Fernández spoke about "the healing and transforming role of art" and the complication of making judgments on works, although in this case, the artistic works were valued by an external jury from UG.

Representing the students, Enrique López Llamas spoke and reflected on the role of students, the institution and society in art.

After the ceremony, directors, professors and students made a tour through the Halls "Polivalente" and "Hermenegildo Bustos," where the works from the students are displayed.