EDEN PARK — Artists in the region are invited to compete for a new art award through the Cincinnati Art Museum.   The 4^th Floor Award is named in honor of the 4^th Floor members – a group of artists and collectors who’ve joined with the Art Museum to increase appreciation and awareness of the region’s established and emerging artists.   "The 4th Floor Award...provides exposure for local artists," said Jéssica Flores Garcia, associate curator of Contemporary Art for the Cincinnati Art Museum. "It is named after our group of contemporary art fans and supporters.   A local artist will be selected by the 4^th Floor members with the Art Museum’s director and its associate curator of contemporary art, according to Garcia.   Five artists will be selected to receive awards. The top award will include a prize of $1,000 as well as the solo exhibition at the Art Museum in the fall of 2009.    "The winner will have their work exhibited in the Vance Waddell Gallery here at the Art Museum, and one piece will be selected for the permanent collection," Garcia said. "It is an exciting opportunity for artists, and just one of the many ways that the 4^th Floor members can become more involved in contemporary art."   The four other artists will each receive aprize of $500.The Art Museum will hold the competition every two years.   Submissions are due Jan. 31, 2009. The competition is open to professional artists living within a 125-mile radius of Cincinnati. Award winners will be announced in the spring, and the winning artist’s exhibition will take place in the Vance-Waddell gallery from Sept. 5-Nov. 29, 2009. Visit www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org for more information, rules and regulations.