ESMoA High School Artist Call – Time of Growth

About the Open Call

ESMoA High School Artist Call 2025 Time of Growth Submission Deadline: Saturday, August 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM. Are you a high school student who loves creating art? Whether you paint, draw, print, or mix it all together, this is your chance to be seen. ESMoA is calling all student artists in grades 9 through 12 across Los Angeles County to submit original, wall-based artwork for our juried exhibition, Time of Growth. This three-day student exhibition will take place September 11 through 13, 2025, in conjunction with the final days of Experience 61: GROW, our current exhibition featuring over 60 professional works. Twenty to thirty student artworks will be displayed, and the top three winners in each category will be announced at the Open House and Awards Celebration on Saturday, September 13. What is the theme? Time of Growth invites you to reflect on change. Personal growth, emotional growth, cultural growth, environmental growth, however you define it. We want to see work that expresses how you experience transformation, resilience, becoming, or self-discovery. The theme is open to interpretation, so bring your own voice and perspective. Choose your category: Submit one original artwork in one of the following four categories: Painting – Art created using any type of paint on a flat surface, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, spray paint, and more. Painted on canvas, board, paper, or another 2D material. Drawing – Art created with dry materials like pencil, charcoal, ink, pastel, crayon, or marker. You can even blend different drawing tools together. Mixed Media – Artwork that combines two or more materials, possibly including 3D or found elements. This includes collage, assemblage, fiber-based work, handmade paper, digital-physical hybrids, and more. Printmaking – Artworks created by transferring ink from a prepared surface onto paper, such as linocuts, monotypes, etchings, silkscreen prints, and other traditional or experimental print methods. Awards and Recognition: A panel of four jurors, who may be artists, curators, gallerists, and ESMoA staff, will select the top three winners in each category. First, second, and third place winners will be announced at the Open House on Saturday, September 13 and recognized on ESMoA’s website and social media. 20 – 30 selected works will be displayed in the gallery, and all eligible submissions will be featured in a digital slideshow projected during the exhibition. What makes a winning entry? Judges will look for: Originality – We want to see something that feels new, exciting, and fully yours. Work should not be copied, traced, AI-generated, or closely imitating someone else’s style. Referencing popular culture is fine, as long as the interpretation is truly your own. Skill – Skill is about more than technique. It can show in your craftsmanship, problem-solving, idea development, or even the emotional power of your piece. Personal Voice – We are looking for work that feels authentic, fresh, and stands out from typical classroom assignments or online trends. Let us see your perspective. Artwork Requirements: Work must be created solely by you, the student. AI-generated or plagiarized work will not be accepted. Work must be wall-hangable and no larger than 900 square inches in total area. For example, acceptable dimensions include 30” x 30”, 20” x 45”, or smaller sizes like 12” x 10”. The product of length and height must not exceed 900 square inches. Each student may submit only one piece. If selected, your original artwork must be delivered to ESMoA at 14929 Hawthorne Blvd, Lawndale, CA by September 6, 2025. Artworks must be picked up between September 14 and 16, 2025. In exceptional cases, ESMoA will ship your artwork to the contact address submitted with your application. Materials Return: If selected, your physical artwork must be delivered to ESMoA by September 6 and picked up between September 14 and 16. If you cannot pick it up, ESMoA may ship it back to the address you provided. Please let us know if your contact information changes. If a work is undeliverable or not picked up within three months, it may be stored or discarded. Be You: This is more than just an awards program, it is a celebration of your creativity, your hard work, and your voice. There is no formula for a winning piece. Surprise us. Challenge us. Let us see the world through your eyes. We cannot wait to experience your Time of Growth.

What is Offered

Juried exhibition with 20-30 selected works displayed in the gallery, recognition on ESMoA's website and social media for top three winners in each category, and all eligible submissions will be featured in a digital slideshow projected during the exhibition.

Requirements

Students currently in grades 9 through 12. Must live in or attend school in Los Angeles County. Work must be created solely by the student. AI-generated or plagiarized work will not be accepted. Work must be wall-hangable and no larger than 900 square inches in total area. Each student may submit only one piece.

How to Apply

Fill out the online submission form (see link below) and include: A clear photo of your artwork Title, materials used, and dimensions A short artist statement (200 words max) Your name, grade, school, and contact info. Use the following link to submit your artwork: https://forms.gle/AisG32dFFGumBWMB7