Call for Entries
Submission Deadline: October 12, 2026
If you are a Maryland high school student who creates visual art, this competition is for you!
The UMGC Arts Program announces a call for entries for its fourth statewide student juried art competition. This exhibition showcases the finest student artwork in Maryland in a professional venue, so prepare your submission today!
Each school may submit a maximum of six entries, from three different student artists (two entries per student). All entries must be submitted with a high-quality image, which the jurors will use to select roughly 45 works from throughout Maryland for the exhibition. These works will be displayed in the Arts Program Main Gallery at t ºÚÁÏÉçÇø.
Teachers will select the school’s student artists, but students are responsible for submitting their own entries.
Submission Fee: FREE
Jurors: A panel of three jurors will be chosen from the local art community.
Exhibition Dates: February 7–April 18, 2027
Opening Reception/Awards Presentation
Sunday, February 7, 2027, 3–5 p.m.
The opening reception is free and open to the community. Award winners and their teachers are expected to attend to receive their recognition. School principals and superintendents are invited as well. The first-place awardee will have the opportunity to address the audience to discuss the winning artwork.
Awards
Awards will be presented to the first-, second-, and third-place winners (only one award winner per school). The artwork of the first-place award winner will be featured on the UMGC Arts Program website.
First-Place Award
- $5,000 cash award ($1,500 to the student, $3,500 to the school arts program or to the general operating fund if there is no arts program)
- Trophy
Second-Place Award
- $2,000 cash award ($1,000 to the student, $1,000 to the school)
- Plaque
Third-Place Award
- $1,000 cash award ($500 to the student, $500 to the school)
- Certificate
Fourth- and Fifth-Place Awards (Honorable Mention)
- Red ribbon recognition on the artwork during the run of the exhibition
Schedule and Deadlines
| Event | Deadline/Dates |
| Submission deadline | October 12, 2026 |
| Selection of artists | October 13–19, 2026 |
| Notification to artists | October 20–23, 2026 |
| Artworks delivered to UMGC | October 26–November 16, 2026 |
| Exhibition opens | February 7, 2027 |
| Opening reception/awards presentation | February 7, 2027 |
| Exhibition closes | April 18, 2027 |
| Artwork pickup | April 19–23, 2027 |
Terms and Conditions
- Students must be enrolled in a Maryland high school at the time of submission and may submit original works of art in painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, fiber, glass, ceramics, wood, metal, photography, graphic design, or mixed media. Any AI-generated works must be identified as such.
- Each school may submit a maximum of six entries (two per student). A single student representing the entire school may submit two works.
- All work submitted must be original (no reproductions) and must have been completed between 2025 and 2026.
- All entries must be submitted electronically, with only one image per entry.
- Images must be high resolution (300 dpi, approximately 8 x 10 inches) and labeled with the artist’s last name and title of the work.
- Electronic application submissions constitute an agreement between the artist, school, and UMGC, and the artist declares that all information is correct.
- Artists must adhere to UMGC’s schedule.
- Artists are responsible for getting the works to the Arts Program at t ºÚÁÏÉçÇø, 3501 University Boulevard East, Adelphi, MD 20783.
- Works that are altered from the original submitted image will not be accepted.
- All works must be suitably prepared for installation. The curator reserves the right to deny entry if any work is deemed unsuitable for display or too difficult to install.
- Works cannot be removed until the end of the exhibition.
- All selected artists will be notified electronically.