Connection is what binds us to one another, to the land, and to the stories that came before us. Across the American West, connection has taken many forms: the ties between families and communities, the relationship between people and the natural world, the threads linking generations and cultures, and the networks that bring distant places closer together. The history of the American West is, in many ways, a history of connection: rivers that sustained communities, trails and railroads that joined coasts, and traditions passed down from elders to youth that keep cultures alive. Yet connection has also been complicated, broken by distance, disrupted by change, and rebuilt in new ways as each generation finds its own means of reaching out to others. What connects you to your family, your community, or your history? How do you stay connected to the people and places that matter to you? What role does nature play in your sense of connection to the world? How has technology changed the way we connect, for better or worse? Can connection exist across time, linking us to those who came before and those who will come after?

The Autry Museum of the American West invites students to submit original artwork for the eleventh annual Student Visual Arts Exhibition: Visions of Connection. We look forward to sharing your art at the museum.

Artwork Lesson- Student Visual Arts Exhibition: Artwork Lesson
Artwork Lesson Student Response Sheet- Student Visual Arts Exhibition: Artwork Lesson - Student Response Sheet

Labels Lesson- Student Visual Arts Exhibition: Labels Lesson
Labels Lesson Student Response Sheet- Student Visual Arts Exhibition: Labels Lesson - Student Response Sheet

SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2026, TO JANUARY 29, 2027

• Student application must be submitted online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RCV67HQ
• Completed artwork can be dropped off at the Autry’s Mary Pickford Education Center at 4700 Western Heritage Way or mailed to: Autry Museum of the American West c/o Education Department 4700 Western Heritage Way Los Angeles, CA 90027
• Friday, January 29, 2027, is the final deadline for both the online application submission and for the physical artwork to arrive at the Autry (not a “postmarked by” deadline).

SELECTION AND EXHIBITION 

• Juried results will be shared with the teachers/advisors by Friday, February 26, 2027. Teachers/advisors are kindly asked to share this information with their students.
• Selected artwork will be on view Saturday, April 17, to Sunday, May 30, 2027. Artwork cannot be removed from the exhibit prior to Tuesday, June 9, 2026.
• Artwork must be picked up from the Autry no later than Wednesday, September 1, 2027. Any artwork left at the Autry Museum past Wednesday, September 1, 2027, is subject to removal.
• There is no entry fee.

We only accept 2D WORKS OF ART: 

• All works of art must be original artwork created by students in grades 6-12.
• All submitted artwork must be completed at the time of submission.
• All entries must be labeled on the back with the name of the student, the school, and the teacher. Please note the orientation of the work.
• In order to fit a standard frame, artwork must measure 5 x 7, 8 x 10, 11 x 14, 16 x 20, 20 x 30, or 22 x 32 inches. Stretched canvases will be accepted, but will not be framed by the Autry.
• All forms of two-dimensional art are accepted, including, but not limited to: watercolor, graphic prints, acrylic, mixed media, oil, pastel, drawing, photography, etc.
• Pastels, charcoal, and Cray-Pas must be fixed (or sealed) when submitted.
• By submitting their artwork, the artist assumes all risks and agrees to hold the Autry harmless against any and all losses, claims, or damages. 

AWARDS: 

All selected entries are eligible for award recognition.