News:ArtSpots merges with JaxPad; offers $500 scholarship, 2¢ promotion

July All-ages anthropomorphic art gallery ArtSpots has announced its merger with sister site JaxPad, effective immediately. In addition, ArtSpots is offering an art student scholarship, and running a "give two cents, get two cents" promotion designed to increase comments. ArtSpots and JaxPad already shared the same database, but ArtSpots only showed the art of those vetted by a review process. ArtSpots will now cater to artists of all skill levels, with special recognition for those it previously featured. Site spokescheetah Seurat said these artists would be referred to as compagnon (journeymen), with the prospect of a higher "master" level in the future.

While many applauded the change, some were disappointed at the loss of quality filtering and urged that it be reinstated as an option. Seurat explained that changes were intended to prevent artists becoming discouraged by a slow review process, and to increase traffic in order to effectively compete with other sites. Currently, most traffic goes to non-juried, all-ratings sits such as Fur Affinity and the VCL.

The ArtSpots scholarship will provide $500 for a promising undergraduate student in the field of anthropomorphic art. Applicants must submit five pieces of art, a 1000 word essay, and a recent high school or college/university transcript. The submissions deadline is midnight July 31st, with the winner to be announced in mid-August and payment made on August 31st.

The promotion is aimed towards increasing participation from users, adding 2¢ to their store credit for each comment they make. Credit may be applied towards the purchase of prints and originals from site artists.

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 * (March 28, 2007)