Regional High School Art Exhibit

ESD 123 is honored to host the Regional High School Art Exhibit, which will be held at the Byron Gjerde Center at Columbia Basin College in Pasco from March 6-14, 2025. The CBC Gjerde Center is open to the public from 7:00AM to 7:00PM, Monday-Thursday, and on Fridays from 7:00AM-Noon. Winners of the regional awards will advance to the OSPI State Art Show. For more information on the Regional Art Exhibit, contact Elena Olmstead, at 509-544-5787 or [email protected].


Important 2025 Dates:

  • Thursday, February 20 – Online Entry Deadline (forms due)
  • Wednesday, March 5, 1:00-5:00 PM – Teachers hang artwork at CBC Gjerde Center Atrium
  • Friday, March 7 – Judging takes place & selection of Superintendent’s Choice Award by participating school district superintendents
  • March 6-14 – Exhibit Opens – Artwork on Display
  • March 11, 5:30 PM – Awards Ceremony at the CBC Gjerde Center
  • Monday, March 17 from 12:00-6:00 PM or Tuesday, March 18 from 8:00AM-12:00 PM – Art teachers take down artwork from CBC and return to students. (All artwork, except Judges Choice winners advancing to the state show, must be removed by 12:00 PM on March 18.)
  • Tuesday, March 18, 12:00 PM - ESD transfers Judges Choice winning artwork to ESD 123 Pasco office for holding

OSPI State Show Dates:

  • March 7: ESD 123 will email Judges Choice winning students and their art teachers to notify them of eligibility for the OSPI State Art Show
  • March 14: *NEW* OSPI Submission Surveys (Artist Statement, Images, Video Statements, and state show releases) due to OSPI from Judges Choice winners advancing to the state show
  • Date TBD: OSPI notifies ESDs, Students/Teachers/Principals of State Award selection
  • by April 18: Artwork chosen for an award by OSPI delivered/transported to OSPI. Artwork will be on display for one year.
  • May 14: OSPI State Awards Ceremony, 9 AM - 11:30 AM at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia, with viewing of the artwork on display at OSPI to follow. The event will also be livestreamed.

Download the 2025 High School Art Guidelines (printable PDF)

Eligibility

Any high school student (public, private, or home school) in grades 9-12 is eligible to enter the regional art show. Submissions from students enrolled in private high schools will not be eligible for the Superintendent’s High School Art Show or for Judges Choice awards. 

Entry Limits

Each high school may enter a maximum of twenty-five (25) pieces per art teacher currently working in that school. For example, if ABC High School has one art teacher, that school may enter up to 25 pieces of art in the show. If XYZ High School has two art teachers employed, that school may enter up to 50 pieces of art. If you have any questions regarding entry limits, please contact us at [email protected]

Note:  If a high school student wishes to enter the art show and his/her school does not employ an art teacher, any staff member or administrator from that school may serve in place of the art teacher.

Each student is limited to a maximum of ONE submission to the OSPI State Art Show.  Students may submit up to four (4) pieces of art to the ESD 123 Regional Exhibit; however, only one piece per student may go on to the OSPI State Show.

Size Limits

Artwork moving on to the State OSPI Show must meet OSPI's size requirements. The maximum size for hanging artwork at the State Show is 40 inches (h) x 32 inches (w) x 20 inches (d), including frame and/or matting. For the ESD 123 Regional High School Exhibit, hanging artwork cannot be wider than 36 inches, as it must fit on the exhibit panels. When considering 3D artwork to submit to the show, please keep in mind both the size of the CBC Gjerde Center Atrium space, as well as the ability to safely transport the piece to and from CBC as well as potentially to the state show in Olympia.

Forms & Requirements

Students must be enrolled in a public high school or a Tribal Compact School in Washington.
All artwork submitted to the High School Art Show MUST be completely original. If artwork is determined to be a copy, it will be disqualified from the Art Show.

Each submission must include: 

Email all of the required items below to Elena Olmstead at [email protected] by February 20, 2025.
  1. Registration Form (ART TEACHERS: Download, save, and edit this Excel spreadsheet with your students' information. Email the completed spreadsheet to Elena Olmstead at [email protected].)
  2. Student Release/Permission Form (by student and parent)
  3. High quality photos (1-4 photos of the artwork, submitted as .JPG files at 300 dpi or greater)
    • A minimum of 1 high-resolution photograph of each piece of art must be submitted using the online Student Release Form above, or via email to Elena Olmstead at [email protected]. (Up to 4 images of each piece may be submitted.) Artwork for which we do not receive a photograph will not be displayed in the online gallery, nor will it be submitted to the OSPI Start Show.
  4. For student artists who receive a Judges Choice Award and wish to advance to the OSPI State competition: Submission Survey (link coming soon!)

Judging Process

Artwork is rated based on three categories in alignment with the Washington State Arts K–12 Learning Standards:

  1. Creativity — Artwork demonstrates original thinking and expressive, artistic perceptions.
  2. Composition — Artwork demonstrates a unique and sensitive way of answering artistic questions. It illustrates student understanding of and ability to interpret the elements of art and the principles of design. It makes a unique statement.
  3. Technique — Artwork demonstrates student competency in using the medium to achieve the desired outcome.
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