AUBURN — A special photo exhibition of local and regional youth will take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 22, in the Androscoggin Room at the Auburn Public Library, Court Street.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine is one of more than 4,000 clubs across the country joining in a search to identify talented young artists. The competition is part of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) ImageMakers National Photography program. This year’s host will be the organization’s Auburn/Lewiston Clubhouse, which is partnering with the Auburn Public Library to bring the talented pool of photographers to the Twin Cities.

“This is a great opportunity for people to check out some of the region’s up and coming young talent,” said Andie Hannon, unit director of the Auburn/Lewiston Clubhouse. “We are very excited to be working with the Auburn Public Library to host this juried competition.”

BGCA’s ImageMakers National Photography program is a comprehensive initiative promoting young people’s creativity and encouraging artistic skills and cultural enrichment.

As a participant in the program, the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine may submit members’ photograph’s in four age divisions and five categories, including color, black and white, digital, alternative process and photo essay.

Selected photographs from the local competition will be screened at the regional level and a limited number will be sent to BGCA’s Atlanta headquarters for judging at the national level. Twenty national winners will be named and their images displayed at special events throughout the year.

Winning artists will also receive a certificate and letter of congratulations from BGCA President Jim Clark.

“We’re really happy to have the Boys & Girls Club kids display their work in a public space. We’re glad we can do that,” said Jim Wilkens, development director for the Auburn Public Library. “The library really takes its role as a venue for new artists to their work very seriously.”

Located at 43 Second St., the Boys & Girls Club has served the Twin Cities youth of for more than 15 years. The club provides programs for more than 100 boys and girls in the areas of character and leadership development, educational enhancement, career preparation, health and life skills, the arts and sports, fitness and recreation.