Focus on the Boro is a community photo show that will be on exhibit in the City Hall Rotunda in Murfreesboro from June 1-22.

“The purpose of this photography event is to inspire the community to get out and take pictures, experience a fun and friendly competition, and have the opportunity to exhibit and enjoy photography,” explains the show's webpage, jessicagnelson.com/focus.

The competition is open to photographers of all ages, styles, and experience levels who live in Rutherford County. Each photographer may submit up to three images in any of the nine categories.

The categories include people, landscape, still life, animals, flora, architecture, sports/action, and abstract/special effects. The ninth, community-focused category, Murfreesboro, is meant to “encourage residents to take pictures of the community and tell their stories."

Both youth and adults are encouraged to participate in Focus on the Boro and there will be separate awards for 17 and younger.

First round entries need to be uploaded through the website culturalartsmurfreesboro.submittable.com by May 10. Finalists will be notified on or before May 11 and then must print and mount their images to be turned in on June 1. Results of the final judging will be announced at a free and public community reception held on Friday, June 8, 2018, from 6-9 p.m., in the Rotunda at City Hall.

Additional support for the event comes from local and national retailers including Nations Photo Lab, Gale Stoner Images, Nashville Photo & Art, Just Love Coffee, Moxie Art Supply and Barns & Noble Booksellers.

Murfreesboro’s Photography Laureate, Jessica Goings Nelson, has spent her inaugural year building a network of local photographers, from amateurs to experts, facilitating connections, classes, professional development, photography outings, and new friendships.

Her creation and the group hosting Focus on the Boro, Photography Connect Murfreesboro, organized through Facebook, is currently a group of close to 250 members.