2026 Summer Art Competition – Innovation Generation Info Session
Wednesday, August 5 | 4:00–5:00 PM PT
Join ARTEFFECT online to learn more about the ARTEFFECT Summer Art Competition, INNOVATION GENERATION, open to students in grades 9–12! This Info 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.
2026 Spotlight Prize Winners – Large Format Category
In 2026, four students received a $1,000 Spotlight Prize for their Large Format projects—works greater than 24 x 36 inches. The Spotlight Prize – Media category encourages students to create artworks in selected mediums and formats. Congratulations to these students for their spectacular projects!
- Bea Holmberg, an 11th grade student from Washington Waldorf School in Bethesda, Maryland, for Leavitt’s Standard Candle, commemorating astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt.
- Marilyn Sommerville, an 11th grade student working with 2024–25 ARTEFFECT Ambassador Corina Alvarezdelugo from King School in Stamford, Connecticut, for The Heart of a Hero, depicting pediatric cardiologist Dr. Helen Taussig.
- Eva Aistė Špokaitė, a 12th grade student from Vilnius, Lithuania, for A “No” that Saved Thousands, honoring pharmacologist Dr. Frances Kelsey.
- Joey Szpilczak, an 11th grade student at Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for The Resonance of Care, inspired by physician and cancer researcher Dr. May Edward Chinn.
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.
Ambassadors in Action!
Meet our 2025–2026 Ambassador Nakimer Foreman, Ed.S., a Visual Art Teacher from Monroe Comprehensive High School in Albany, Georgia.
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 Nakimer’s Capstone Project report:
“Through their ARTEFFECT projects, students demonstrated increased confidence in discussing historical topics, interpreting symbolism, and explaining the purpose behind their artistic decisions. Many students expressed that they felt empowered knowing their artwork could educate others and bring recognition to individuals who deserved greater acknowledgment.”
Congratulations to Nakimer and her students at Monroe Comprehensive High School for your inspiring ARTEFFECT projects!
Read more about Nakimer’s capstone project
Congratulations to Nakimer’s students for being selected as Finalists in the 2026 ARTEFFECT annual competition!
- A “Diamond” in the Rough by Benjamin Wright (Grade 12) about Unsung Hero Dion Diamond
- Bridges of Strength by Rykese Mathis (Grade 12) about Unsung Hero Horace King
- The Lifeline of Blood by Ke’Ashja Sims (Grade 11) about Unsung Hero Charles Drew
For inquiries, contact: arteffect@lowellmilken.org