ART FORWARD
Fine Art + NSP Juried Exhibition
Spring 2026
Sponsored by Thomas and Malena Koplin, Bill & Andrea Koehnlein & IllumiStart LLC

About Art Forward

CASH PRIZES for Fine Art + NSP Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
(four cash prizes at each level)

  • First Prize $500
  • Second Prize $300
  • Third Prize $200
  • Honorable Mention $100

JUROR – Phoenix S. Brown, Visual Artist, Curator at Bronzeville Center for the Arts

Important dates

SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
11:59 p.m., Monday, Jan. 26, 2026

EMAIL NOTIFICATION OF AWARDS: 
Monday, Feb. 2, 2026

EXHIBITION OF WORKS:
Thursday, Feb. 12 – Saturday, March 7, 2026
160 Gallery 

RECEPTION AND AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT:
6 – 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026
160 Gallery

Spring 2026 Fine Art + NSP Juried Exhibition Art Forward. Deadline Jan. 26, 11:59 p.m. Sponsored by Thomas & Malena Koplin, Bill & Andrea Koehnlein, and IllumiStart

Eligibility requirements

  • Full-time status as Fine Art + NSP Major (no Minor or FYE)
  • GPA of 2.5 or above
  • The official MIAD Program of Study (PoS) will determine the Sophomore, Junior, and Senior levels.
  • Submitted work must have been created while attending MIAD as an NSP Major (Sophomore and above)
  • The accepted works must be available and ready for exhibition installation the week of February 9, 2026.

Guidelines

Failure to meet the guidelines may result in disqualification – seek advice from your faculty.

  • Name and submit your file as: youryearlevel_lastname_juried_exhibition_2026.pdf
  • Your PDF should include your name, Major, and year (Sophomore, Junior, or Senior) at the top of the document. All images and information should be included in a single PDF document (multi-page, single PDF file is acceptable).
  • Submit up to TWO artworks with a maximum submission of six images that may include detail or installation views (JPEG images with 2800 pixels on the long edge).
  • Time-based work should submit JPEG stills along with a link to view the video.
  • Do NOT composite the images (stitch together multiple images into a single image).
  • Caption each high quality image with title, media, size, and semester/year.
  • A single statement describing the concepts of all the submitted works (100 words maximum).
  • PDF file should NOT exceed 10MB in size.

Tips

  • Submit high-quality images (be sure they are focused and bright)
  • The statement should be direct and concise.
  • The exhibition space may require the artist’s flexibility with how the selected work will be shown or presented. (e.g., installation and video projection work)