Entries are being accepted for the 2025 juried art exhibition at The Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum, hosted by Mackinac State Historic Parks, through Friday, February 28.

 The theme for the exhibition is Iconic Mackinac. 150 years ago, the many of icons of Mackinac Island prompted the creation of Mackinac National Park, the second national park in the country. This protected icons such as Fort Mackinac, Fort Holmes, Arch Rock and others, and spurred the creation of icons such as Grand Hotel and the East and West Bluff cottages, among others. We encourage artists working in all media to share with us their artistic visions of what Iconic Mackinac means to them.

“The annual contemporary art contest continues to support the mission of The Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum by encouraging new artistic creations inspired by Mackinac Island,” said Steve Brisson, Mackinac State Historic Parks Director. “I invite residents and visitors alike to tour the exhibition and enjoy this show during the 2025 season.”

Cindy Meyers Foley, Director and CEO of Grand Rapids Art Museum, will serve as juror. Foley has worked for 30 years to help museums become welcoming spaces that cultivate curiosity and social engagement. In her career in museums, Foley has been critical in the development of several groundbreaking projects including two city-wide Creativity Summits to advocate for intentional creativity in all sectors, Making Creativity Visible and Cultivating Creative and Civic Capacities, two national recognized teacher research and professional development programs; Wonder School, a museum/university laboratory preschool; and the Center for Art and Social Engagement, an experimental gallery developed to activate conversation, reflection, and action in relation to experiencing art that addresses social issues. Foley has also curated several exhibitions.

Foley was appointed to the Michigan Arts and Culture Council in 2023. She has been on the faculty of the Maine College of Art, Harvard’s Project Zero Classroom Summer Institute, and regularly keynotes a variety of museum, art, and education conferences. Foley received the 2018 Ohio Distinguished Educator for Art Education Award. 

Foley will select a single Best of Show, second and third place, and three honorable mention awardees from the pieces displayed in the exhibition. Winners will be announced at the June 18, 2025 awards ceremony on Mackinac Island. The Best of Show winner will receive The Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum Gold Medal and $2,500 cash prize. Their name will be added to the list of annual Gold Medal winners, which is displayed at the museum. The second and third place winners will receive cash prizes of $1,000 and $750, respectively, and the three honorable mentions will receive cash prizes of $250 each. All prizes are donated by the Mackinac Arts Council and Mackinac Associates.

All media of artwork will be accepted from living artists, including photography, paint, sculpture and others. Artwork must have been completed within the last two years. No artwork that has been selected as a finalist in previous juried exhibitions will be accepted. Artists are encouraged to submit more than one artwork, but no more than three will be accepted. Participation is open to all artists, nationally and internationally, who are 18 years of age or older. Artwork selected for inclusion in the exhibition may be available for sale with permission of the artist.

All entries must be submitted electronically, and the entry form can be found at this link. Up to three entries can be submitted, and there is a non-refundable entry fee of $25 for each entry. Deadline for submissions is February 28 at 5:00 p.m. EST. A downloadable version of this release can be found here. Photos are available by request.