Thanks for asking! We are the MACOA K-12 Student Art Show.

While this event is often referred to as the “MAC Art Show,” it is not the same as the MAC Art Show hosted by the MAC Art Department.

This exhibition is organized and presented by Mineral Area Council on the Arts (MACOA), and we appreciate your help in using the correct name.

We understand the confusion, as the MAC Art Department hosts a separate “MAC Art Show” each year specifically for Art Majors. Because of this, the Art Department sometimes receives scholarship applications in which students state they participated in and placed in the “MAC Art Show,” when they are actually referencing this exhibition. This can unintentionally diminish the accuracy of students’ achievements and the efforts of both organizations.

Thank you for helping us clarify this distinction with your schools and students. Your support ensures proper recognition and accurate representation for everyone involved.

Illustration

• Includes original character designs and narrative-based imagery

• Traditional or digital media accepted

• Focuses on storytelling, character development, or world-building

• Set designs or environments

• Story-driven scenes or settings (original or interpretive)

Digital Art

• Will increasingly focus on digital techniques, effects, abstraction, or graphic composition

• Characters or storytelling are not the primary intent - utilizes existing interpretations, worlds, or people

If a student creates an original character, that work will most likely be stronger and more appropriately placed in Illustration moving forward.

This also allows the Digital Art category to better showcase other types of digital work.

Digital Art may still include people or characters (such as portraits or interpretations of real individuals). However, original characters with intentional design, personality, or narrative context should be entered in Illustration.

Examples of Work Appropriate for Illustration

(Examples may be digital or traditional)

• Character sketches or development sheets (including multiple versions or poses)

• Character expressions or angle studies

• A character in motion within a cohesive setting

• Scenes from an imagined or created world

• Book illustration or poster art for an original story

• Scenic or set design for theatre, film, or television

• Interpretations of a literary work, poem, or historical event
  (No photo references for this category)

  • Students may include the title, excerpt, or reference text on a separate sheet, alongside the artwork, or incorporated into the piece itself

Please look below for photo examples.

Please review this year’s guidelines carefully, as some category descriptions have been updated to provide clearer clarification.

That said, some overlap between categories may still occur. If you have a question about how a specific artwork should be categorized, please email tgallaher@mineralarea.edu with the subject line “Art Show Category.” Include a photo of the artwork along with a brief description detailing the materials and mediums used. I will present this information to the Art Show Committee for review and follow up with you once a decision has been made.

In some cases, a piece may be acceptable in more than one category, and the final decision may be left to the artist. If so, please choose the category where you feel the piece will be most successful, or consider selecting a category that allows you to free up another category for an additional submission.

No. Only artwork created in the 2025-2026 school year can be submitted into the 2026 K-12 Student Art Show.