This longstanding juried exhibition has showcased exceptional work in all media, drawing hundreds of entries from a 14-county region. Each year, an experienced juror chooses the work from more than 300 submitted entries. Over $5,000 will be awarded, including a $1,000 grand prize. The 2024 juror will be San Francisco-based gallerist Jessica Silverman. Jessica Silverman is an ambitious, innovative, and internationally renowned gallery that builds artists’ careers and supports art buyers keen on establishing noteworthy collections. The eponymous gallery was founded in 2008 and represents artists who make museum-worthy art at all stages of their careers. Works by the gallery’s artists have been acquired by museums such as the Tate (London), MoMA (New York), the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Hirshhorn (Washington D.C.), MCA Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, and many others.

The 2024 West Michigan Area Show will be open from Friday, May 3 through Sunday, August 25, 2024.

CALENDAR

• Applications Open: Monday, January 22 - 11:59 pm Sunday, March 3
• Artist Notification: Tuesday, April 2
• Artist Drop Off: April 18-19-20 and 22 (Thurs, Fri, Sat, and Monday)
• Awards and Opening Reception: Thursday, May 2
• Exhibition Opens: Friday, May 3

2024 AWARDS
  $1,000  Helen Sheridan Memorial Grand Prize
  $ 500  Second Place
  $ 400  Third Place
  $ 300  Fourth Place
  $ 200  Fifth Place
  $1,000 Portage Community Art Award
  $ 750  Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo's People's Choice Award 
  $ 350  The Martin Maddox Prize for Imaginative Realism
  $ 300  Ninth Wave Studio Award for Ingenuity in Mixed Media or Intermedia
  $ 250  Signature Artists, LLC, Award  
  $ 200  Eclectic Glass Guild of Southwest Michigan 
  $ 200 Kalamazoo Log Cabin Quilters' Art Quilt Award 
  $ 200  Southwest Michigan Printmakers Excellence in Printmaking Award
  $ 150 Kalamazoo Book Arts Center Book, Print, and Paper Award
  $ 150  West Michigan Potters Guild Award for Ceramics
  The Ward H. and Cora E. Nay Director's Purchase Prize

Application Requirements

Art Requirements: 

• Only original work of the artist’s own design (no AI generated images), completed within the last 2 years should be entered.
• Digital media, 2-D, and 3-D works in any medium will be accepted.
• Work may not exceed six feet (72”) on any side.
• All wall-hung works must be framed with proper hanging devices (wires and/or “D”-rings) attached. Stretched canvases okay.
• Work must be on view for the entire duration of the exhibition.
• The KIA reserves the right to refuse any work that is framed inadequately, damaged upon delivery, or misrepresented by entry image.

Entry Fee: A maximum 3 works may be submitted. The fee is $14 for the first and $8 for each additional.

Only one image file is allowed per work. Consider using a collage/grid image to show multiple angles if needed. 

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility: All artists 18 years or older residing in the following Michigan counties: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Eaton, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa, St. Joseph, and Van Buren.

Award Eligibility: 

Quilt Award: Art quilts must be free-hanging (unframed), fabric-based, original compositions formed by hand
Mixed media/intermedia Award: Combining traditional and/or non-traditional media, eligible works stretch conventions of art and composition.  
Printmaking Award: The awarded print is required to illustrate a hand-worked element as part of the process in its making (no exclusively digital prints are eligible).
Book Arts, Print, and Paper Award: Can include handmade books, handmade paper, prints, and work involving letterpress.
Glass award: Over 50% of the work must be composed of glass, but work may include some sculptural component in metal or other media.
Portage Community Art Award: Winning work must be available to hang in the City Hall lobby following the close of the WMAS for one year. The artist must be a Portage resident and able to install a minimum of 12-20 additional works in Portage City Hall from Sept 5 - Oct 30, 2024

Condition of Entries: All wall-hung works must be framed with proper hanging devices (wires and/or “D”-rings) attached. Please note “top” where necessary. No clip frames are permitted. The KIA reserves the right to refuse or withdraw any work from the exhibition at its discretion.