Call Description

The High School Area Show offers a unique opportunity for high school artists to enter a juried exhibition with the opportunity to show their work in a museum and possibly win cash awards and/or college scholarships. This exhibition is open to students in grades 9-12 who reside in the Michigan counties of: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, or Van Buren. There is no fee to enter. 

The exhibition will be on view at the KIA  from Saturday, April 11 through Sunday, May 10, 2026. 

CALENDAR

• Applications Open: January 6
• Applications Close:  February 10 (11:59pm ET)
• Artist Notification: March 13-15
• Artist Drop Off: March 24-29
• Awards and Opening Reception: April 10, 5:30pm-8pm
• Exhibition Opens: April 11
• Artwork Pick Up: May 11-15

Students submitting work(s) will be notified via e-mail between March 13-15, 2026. We strongly suggest using an email address that accepts external communication. School email accounts often do not. We recommend adding museumed@kiarts.org to your contact list to ensure that you will receive all communications. Please note: email will be the only form of communication used to notify students about any information regarding the High School Area Show. 

Application Requirements

Art Requirements:

• Only original work of the artist's own design (no AI generated images) should be entered.
• 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. Please note “top” where necessary. No clip frames are permitted. Unframed, stretched canvases are acceptable. If your work is accepted to the High School Area Show and you are unable to frame it due to cost, unusual shape, or medium, please contact museumed@kiarts.org to discuss possible solutions.
• Work must be on view for the entire duration of the exhibition.
• Each student may submit up to two works of art.
• Only one image file is allowed per work. Consider using a collage/grid image to show multiple angles if needed. The jurying is done virtually, please make sure to submit a high quality photo.

The KIA reserves the right to refuse any work that is framed inadequately, damaged upon delivery, or misrepresented by the entry image.

Sunday, February 10, 2026 by 11:59pm ET is the deadline to submit. There is no fee to enter. All entries must be submitted online. Late submissions will not be accepted. Please note: Students must create a CaFE account before they are able to submit to this show. We strongly recommend you create your account early to familiarize yourself with the process before the deadline.

Delivery of Accepted Entries: Artwork must be hand delivered to the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts located at 314 S. Park St., Kalamazoo, MI, 49007. There is free parking available in lots on both South and Lovell Streets. 

Hand deliver accepted artworks to the KIA lobby during the following days/times: 

• Tuesday, March 24, 7:30am-7pm
• Wednesday, March 25, 7:30am-7pm
• Thursday, March 26, 7:30am-8pm
• Friday, March 27, 7:30am-5pm
• Saturday, March 28, 9am-5pm
• Sunday, March 29, 11am-4pm

Please review delivery dates carefully. Late work will not be accepted unless prior arrangements have been made. Please contact museumed@kiarts.org if you need to schedule an alternate time to drop off your work. 

Work must remain on view for the duration of the exhibition and may not be removed before Monday, May 11, 2026.

Sale of Works: Works are not offered for sale through the KIA. 

Liability: All work is submitted at the owner's risk. Although every precaution will be taken, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts is not responsible for insurance during transit or while artwork is on its premises. By submitting work, the artist waives any claim against the KIA for any loss or damage. 

Eligibility Criteria

Participant Eligibility: All students in grades 9-12 who reside in the Michigan counties of: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, or Van Buren counties are eligible to participate.

Artwork Eligibility: Original artwork (no AI generated images) in any of the following media:

• 2-D Mixed Media
• 3-D Mixed Media
• Ceramics
• Drawing/Pastels/Prints
• Fiber/Leather
• Glass
• Jewelry
• Metal/Sculpture
• Painting
• Photography
• Printed Digital Art (Video and Audio will not be accepted)
• Wood
• Fashion Design
• Graphic Design
• Product Design
• Interior Design

Only works created by a single artist are eligible. Collaborative works will not be accepted. 

Originality is an important consideration in jurying and direct copies of existing works of art are not accepted. 

Award Eligibility: Any artist whose work is accepted for exhibition and gives their consent to share their contact information with the awarding colleges/universities is eligible for a scholarship. Representatives from each college/university select their respective scholarship winners. Any artist whose work is accepted for exhibition is eligible for cash awards. Scholarships and awards will not be announced until the awards ceremony on Friday, April 10. 

If you have any questions please email museumed@kiarts.org.