2026 Summer Art Competition: Innovation Generation — Info Session
STILL TIME TO JOIN! Learn more about the ARTEFFECT Summer Art Competition, Innovation Generation, open to students in grades 9–12! A free Info Session is being held via Zoom:
Wednesday, August 5, 4:00–5:00 PM PT
The session will explore the Unsung Heroes who were innovators, tips for submitting, award categories, and more. Hear from previously participating young artists and educators! Bring your questions! Free to join — registration required.
The 2026 Summer Competition, open through September 15, 2026, offers multiple awards totaling over $20,000 in financial prizes. No submission can win more than one award or prize. Free to enter. Read the FAQs for more details about eligibility.
Presenting the 2026 Certificate of Excellence Winners
27 young artists were chosen as Certificate of Excellence awardees, creating artworks about Unsung Heroes from many different eras and professions. This spotlight features 5 Certificate of Excellence awardees with projects honoring women in STEAM who worked in the ocean.
Three students were inspired by ethnobotanist Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott:
- Chloe Chen, an 11th grade student from Watchung Hills Regional High School in Warren, New Jersey, created Beneath the Surface.
- Annie Hong, an 11th grade student from The American School in Chofu, Japan, created Abbott’s Ocean.
- Meimei Zhang, a seventh grade student from Luckie Art Studio with teacher Yue Zheng in Lexington, Massachusetts, created Drifting Among the Corals.
Vlada Stinerman, a 12th grade student from Castro Valley High School in Castro Valley, California, working with ARTEFFECT Ambassador 2025–26 Emily Bittner, sculpted A Dive Through Reality, inspired by marine biologist Dr. Sylvia Earle.
Tina Zhao, an 11th grade student from Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bellevue, Washington, working with Jihoon Lee, won for The Unextinguishable Deep, honoring ichthyologist Dr. Eugenie Clark.
Congratulations to these students and all 2026 ARTEFFECT Awardees! View all 2026 winners.
ARTEFFECT Ambassadors Visual Arts Online Fellowship 2026–2027 — Call for Applications Now Open!
ARTEFFECT Ambassadors is an online fellowship for educators working directly with students in grades 6–12 to foster the visual arts. Ambassadors learn alongside other high-level practitioners through visual arts-focused, project-based lessons centered on the inspiring and diverse stories of Unsung Heroes from history.
Applications due Monday, September 14 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.
Learn more and apply. | Register for the Ambassador Info Session.
Ambassadors in Action!
Meet 2025–2026 Ambassador Mary Anderson, a Visual Arts Teacher at La Salle High School in Pasadena, California.
Each ARTEFFECT Ambassador culminates their visual arts online fellowship with a capstone project that brings the inspiring stories of the LMC Unsung Heroes into their classrooms and communities.
Here is an excerpt from Mary’s Capstone Project report:
“Students really were moved by their LMC Unsung Heroes and I think giving them total freedom of choice helped with that. They really felt passionate about their stories.”
Congratulations to Mary and her students at La Salle High School for your inspiring ARTEFFECT projects! Read more about Mary’s capstone project.
Congratulations to Mary’s students for being selected as Finalists in the 2026 ARTEFFECT annual competition!
- Art That Tells a Story by Samantha Hu (Grade 12) about Unsung Hero Elizabeth Catlett.
- The Doctor of Justice by Samantha Robles (Grade 11) about Unsung Hero Charles Drew.
Stay Connected
Be sure to follow ARTEFFECT on these platforms for announcements, news, professional development, resources, and more!
- ARTEFFECT Instagram
- ARTEFFECT Facebook Page
- Art Educators Facebook Group
- ARTEFFECT YouTube
- ARTEFFECT on X
For inquiries, contact: arteffect@lowellmilken.org