Tours are inquiry-based and involve a variety of activities designed to highlight relationships between writing and the paintings and sculpture designated for this year’s contest. During the tour, students and docents engage in discussion relating to connections between art and writing.   For example, students may write a poem, “flesh out” characters in a painting and develop dialogue between them, or discuss similarities and differences between artists’ and writers’ narrative treatment of various themes.   Students are especially encouraged to use rich, descriptive language.   Tours are 45 minutes long with an additional 15 minutes for writing, note taking and viewing the rest of the exhibit.   Groups will have the opportunity to see many of the works on view, although there will not be time to discuss all of them.