State-Wide Student Show

Judging the show:

• 45 student artworks will be chosen by the judges.
• Our judges look for work that demonstrates creativity, originality, craftsmanship, personality/voice, and communicates an idea.
• Our judging is digital and blind regarding the artists’ identity.
  • Please make sure that your images do not have any identifying  information on them
  • Only the medium and grade level is known to the judges

Submitting:

• Select up to 10 of your students’ 2D artworks & 3D/sculptural works.
  • All artwork must be able to fit into an 18X24” frame.
  • Note: Regarding AI for this year – AI may be used minimally to support idea generation, but AI generated artwork itself alone should not be submitted as original artwork.

• Only photographs of 3D work will be accepted, not the original piece for its safety.

• Paintings on stretched canvas may NOT be thicker than 5/8”

•  NOTE: Canvases that are 16×20” have a hard time fitting into the 18×24” frames, because they are too close to the edges.

• Printed images of digital and/or photographs of 3D work must fit into an 18” x 24” metal frame, and you decide what size of the print will show off your student’s artwork the best.

The submission form allows for the submission of 10 images at one time, so you only need to submit 1 form with your information, and because each image will be labeled, you will not need to repeat information into the form!

• GOOD HIGH RESOLUTION images…  a really good/publication ready photo of each piece is needed, cropped and ready for the slide show! This image, if chosen, will go straight onto the website, into the slide show, into the Conference program, and onto special surprises we have in store for you and your student artist, so this is really important!
  • 3 Videos to help with taking photographs of student artwork … just click on each image.

          (Please use the same videos as last year.)

• Label EACH image with the following information IN THIS ORDER, please:

• • • Teacher’s first & last name, School’s name, Student’s first & last name, student’s grade level, medium
    •  

• EXAMPLE: Please use commas to separate information.

• • • 1. Susan Tiemstra, your school, student’s first & last name, student’s grade level & medium (What your student used i.e. watercolor, marker, clay & glaze, etc.)
    • 2. Susan Tiemstra, your school, student’s first & last name, student’s grade level & medium
    • 3. Susan Tiemstra, your school, student’s first & last name, student’s grade level & medium
    • 4. Etc. up to 10 images

• Artwork will NOT be accepted without labeling on each image!

• • If you’re having trouble, please email me @ [email protected]
  • or check out these 2 videos: 
    • “Labeling Your Student’s Artwork on Your Desktop” https://youtu.be/_Sh-jJHPE2E
    • “Labeling Your Student’s Artwork in Photos” https://youtu.be/Rok70s4Yi8k

2025-2026 Student Art Show Deadlines:

• Submissions OPEN – Monday, Feb 23, 2026 (The Submission Window is 7 weeks long.)
• Submissions CLOSE – Friday, April 10, 2026
• Judging Window – Monday, April 13 – Monday, April 27, 2026
• Notification – Thursday, April 30, 2026
• Friday, May 15, 2026 – Teacher Information Form & Parents’ Permissions Forms DUE!

• • Curating the show: 
    • Our mission is to advocate for Art Teachers teaching Art Curriculum in all Illinois Schools K-12.
    • Our intent is to showcase as many different art teachers and their students as possible from K-12 with works that exemplify best practice throughout the state.
      • Therefore, if chosen, you will only be chosen once.
    • If you handle all of the submissions for your Art Department or District, please make sure that each teacher’s name is associated with the correct student’s name & that each member you are submitting for is a member of IAEA.
  • Advocating for The Arts: The Traveling IAEA Student Art Show:
    • Your student’s piece will travel to locations throughout the state of Illinois in a slide show from November 2024- August of 2025.

  Questions? Email Susan Tiemstra @ [email protected] or text to 1-630-732-5718

You may submit photographs of 3D Student Artwork as part of your submission of “Up to 10 Pieces of Student Artwork” for the Student Art Show!

These Photographs of 3D pieces must follow

the same guidelines 

as any of the 2D artworks you submit

TIPS and image examples for submitting a good photograph of your students’ 3D work are provided by IAEA Member, Dawn Zalkus.

• Choose the best single point of view of your 3D object. Do not composite multiple points of view
  • Shoot on a neutral background: white, black, grey or a gradient.
  • Look for a contrast between the art object and the background.

• • If within your budget purchasing a small light tent is helpful (around $100, like this(https://www.amazon.com/Fovitec-StudioPRO-Portable-Photography-Lighting/dp/B00TADBN54?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_13)). The tent helps cut down the glare associated with glazed ceramic or shiny works.
  • Consider asking your theater department or video department to shoot against their curtains.
  • Larger pieces may need to be taken to an outdoor seating such as in nature, against an industrial looking wall or even on a flat cement floor like in the instance of the panther.

  If you have any questions, please email Susan Tiemstra @ [email protected]

2026 Entry Form