The public is invited to preview nearly 500 works submitted to this year's Hays Arts Council Five State Photography Competition on Friday and Saturday.

The hours for the preview are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th.

Works will be prepared for judging, divided into the categories of nature, people and open.

Loretta Young-Gautier, director of the Camera Obscura Gallery in Denver, will judge the competition. She will select approximately 165 of the 500 pieces for the Five State Exhibition.

A total of $1,500 will be awarded by the judge, with $500 being awarded in each of the three categories.

The 26th annual Five State Photography exhibition will open Dec. 11 as the anchor of the Hays Arts Council's Winter Gallery Walk.