About ArtNow: NUMU’s Annual Juried High School Exhibition

ArtNow is an award-winning annual juried Santa Clara County high school art exhibition and educational program, presented by New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU). ArtNow offers opportunities for high school student artists, from Palo Alto to Gilroy, to gain real-world experience by participating in a juried museum exhibition. Each year, a new theme is chosen for the exhibition and students are asked to submit works based on that theme. Look for #artnowatnumu on social media.

Questions? Email artnow@numulosgatos.org


ArtNow 2025: Dreamscapes 

New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU) invites high school students across Santa Clara County to submit a work of art responding to the theme Dreamscapes. How can art reflect our dreams, and how do our dreams reflect our hopes, fears, values, environment, and aspirations? 

Dreaming is a fascinating aspect of the human condition. From daydreams to our deepest ambitions, whether fantasies or nightmares, we are all connected by this shared phenomenon. Dreams don’t only happen when we sleep, they can take place on any scale, from personal goals to collective movements that inspire change. 

Throughout history, scientists, storytellers, artists, and mystics have tried to understand why dreaming happens and what it means for humanity. Dreams can be fun or whimsical, but they can also be uncomfortable, grotesque, or downright confusing. In each case, they have the power to evoke strong emotions and inspire profound creative expression. 

What do you dream of?


Important Dates

October 2024 Toolkit released
Friday, November 1, 2024 Submissions open
Sunday, February 2, 2025, 11:59 PM
Submissions close
Friday, February 28, 2025
Exhibiting artists announced
Friday-Sunday, March 14-16 & 21-23, 2025, 10 AM-4 PM
Artwork drop-off
Friday, April 4, 2025
Exhibition opens
Saturday, May 3, 2025 People’s Choice voting closes
Saturday, May 3, 2025 Awards Ceremony
Sunday, July 20, 2025
Exhibition closes
Thursday-Sunday, July 24-27 & July 31- August 3, 2025 Artwork pick-up

  • • Students may submit one work of art.
    • Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.
    • A fully completed submission form and an artist statement of no more than 100 words must accompany the artwork.
    • Submissions accepted online only.
    • Must be a Santa Clara County High School student. Public, private, and homeschoolers are all welcome to apply.
    • Create an original work of art in response to this year’s theme, and write an accompanying artist’s statement.
    • Artwork must be an original work of art, free of plagiarism, that is not copied or based off work by another artist
    • Artwork is accepted in the following categories: Drawing, Digital Art, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, & Video/Animation.

  • DRAWING
    Any two dimensional piece created on a flat surface using dry media

    DIGITAL ART
    Any composition that is rendered using computer software

    MIXED MEDIA
    Any composition that incorporates multiple mediums on one surface wet and/or dry.

    PAINTING
    Any two dimensional piece that uses watercolor, acrylic, or oil on a flat surface.

    PHOTOGRAPHY
    Photo process that utilizes either a digital or analog camera.

    PRINTMAKING
    Works created using relief, intaglio, planographic, or stencil printmaking process.

    SCULPTURE
    Any three dimensional piece that is created using clay, bronze, wood, glass, paper, etc.

    VIDEO/ANIMATION
    Any artwork that requires a digital screen to view.

  • Submissions are accepted based on the following criteria:

    • Significant and thoughtful investigation of the theme. 
    • Imaginative communication of ideas.  
    • Meaningful use of materials.
    • Demonstrates technical skill and artistic merit.
    • Artist statement is well articulated.

  • Each year NUMU awards $10,000 in scholarships and prizes to exhibiting artists. A panel of guest judges, who are accomplished in their own right as artists, educators and art historians, distribute the awards as a team. Students have the opportunity to win the following awards:

    • In each artistic category:
    • 1st Place
    • 2nd Place
    • Judge’s Recognition
    • A People’s Choice Award, determined by votes from the public throughout the exhibition.
    • An overall Best in Show award which includes a $5,000 educational scholarship.

  • • Judges will use this image to judge your artwork. Ensure that it is rotated and sized according to the way you want the judges to view your piece.
    • If your artwork is accepted we will use this image in our exhibition catalog. Please ensure that your image is high quality:
    • no glare
    • well lit
    • cropped to include your full artwork
    • All files must be labeled as follows "Artist Last Name_ Artist First Name_Artwork Title" (Doe_Jane_TreeOfLife.jpg, for example)
    • Images must be in .jpg format.
    • Images should be sized at a minimum of 1250 pixels on the shortest side with an image quality of at least 300 dpi.
    • Final .jpg file must be less than 5mb.
    • Video/Animation submissions must be 2 minutes or shorter, and exported as .mp4. Short .gif files must be looped and exported to follow Video/Animation requirements.
    • An individual artwork with multiple components (diptych, triptych, series) will be considered as one submission and must be submitted as a composite (single) file.

  • Is there a size restriction for my original (physical) piece?
    There are no size restrictions.

    How many pieces can I submit?
    Each student may only submit one work in one medium category of their choice.

    Can I make a change or correction to my submission?
    Unfortunately, no. Once the form has been submitted, there will be no opportunity to edit. Please make sure all files and information are correct before submitting.

    Can I submit an artwork created with multiple people as a group?
    Email artnow@numulosgatos.org about your project to discuss the specifics of your idea.

    Can I use AI in my artwork?
    NUMU acknowledges that AI (artificial intelligence) is now a part of media and may be used as an artistic tool. AI generated submissions without artistic manipulation will not be accepted. AI may be applied meaningfully as part of an artist’s process to express an original concept conceived by the artist. If AI is included, students should acknowledge it in their artist statement. Please reach out if you have any specific questions.

    Can I add to my piece after I have been accepted as an exhibiting artist?
    Making changes to the piece may jeopardize artwork, as it was judged in the original state it was submitted. Slight modifications such as varnishing a painting or fixing something that has broken are acceptable and encouraged.

    When will I know if my work was accepted into the exhibition?
    Accepted artists will be listed on the website at a designated date in February. Refer to the exhibition page for specific date. All students who submitted will receive an email notification shortly after the website announcement.

    If my artwork was selected for the exhibition, how do I prepare it to be displayed?
    Detailed instructions are sent out to all exhibiting artists via email on how to prepare your artwork for display for each medium category.

    How will my digital illustration be displayed?
    It must be printed to the size you specify in your submission form, and be ready to hang for installation.

    When will I need to drop off my artwork to NUMU?
    Students whose artwork is juried into the exhibition will need to drop-off their artwork during designated dates in March. Refer to the exhibition page for specific dates. All artworks need to be received ready-to-be-installed and properly wrapped. Exhibiting artists will be emailed detailed information on the drop-off process and artwork preparation requirements.

    I am not able to drop-off/pick-up my artwork during the designated dates, what do I do?
    Email artnow@numulosgatos.org and we will coordinate a time with you.

    How long will my artwork be on display?
    Artworks will be displayed for the entire duration of the exhibition, from opening day to closing day, and cannot be removed early. For specific dates, refer to the exhibition page. Please note that works will remain at NUMU from the time of drop-off to the scheduled pick-up dates. Accepted students will receive detailed instructions on all dates and requirements.

ArtNow Teen Council

For the first time ever, New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU) has launched an ArtNow Teen Council composed of 6 high school interns who are helping to elevate the ArtNow program to be more widely accessible and more relevant to teenagers living across Santa Clara County. Through establishing the ArtNow Teen Council, NUMU hopes to build a stronger partnership with student artists so that they aren’t just the recipients of the ArtNow program, but the architects.


Toolkits & Resources

Toolkits

Click below to download toolkit PDFs. Toolkits are co-created with the ArtNow Teen Council. Browsing the toolkits can help students prepare to submit to ArtNow. Students should make sure to check out the newest toolkit for the year of ArtNow that they plan to submit to!

In these thematic toolkits, you‘ll find art examples, compiled by the Teen Council, for each of the 8 medium categories. The examples relate back to the theme of the year. For each artistic example, we have identified key themes explored by the artists and discussion questions. We have also included a list of quotes for further inspiration. You will also find detailed information about how to submit your artwork.

ArtNow on NUMU’s Blog

Explore a variety of blog posts that dive deeper into the ArtNow program. Hear directly from Best in Show scholarship recipients, meet the judges, meet Teen Council members, and get inspired!


Explore the ArtNow Archive

Browse the ArtNow Archive to explore past exhibition themes, catalogs, toolkits, programs, videos, “Best in Show” artworks, and blog posts. We encourage interested students to look through past exhibition catalogs to get inspired as they prepare their ArtNow submissions.

Explore Past ArtNow Exhibitions:


Press & Recognition

Excellence in Museum Education, Superintendent's Award

The California Association of Museums (CAM)
Superintendent’s Award for Excellence in Museum Education

We are excited to announce that NUMU has been awarded the 2023 Superintendent's Award for Excellence in Museum Education for ArtNow! The Superintendent’s Award for Excellence in Museum Education competition recognizes the outstanding achievements in California museum programs that serve K-12 students and/or educators. The competition is a joint project of the sponsors, the California Association of Museums (CAM) and the California Department of Education (CDE). Since 2012, the competition has recognized 66 programs, presented by a diverse range of institutions that demonstrate the vibrant contributions museums make to California’s K-12 educational system. In 2023, CAM and the CDE recognized 6 outstanding programs that took place in 2022.

TESTIMONIALS

Read testimonials from teachers, students, and interns!

“ArtNow offers students the real-life experience of what an artist goes through to get their work exhibited in a museum. The experience fosters self-confidence, critical thinking skills, creative expression, as well as teaching students the intrinsic value of art. ArtNow is one of the rare programs that rewards students for the inherent value of art.”


Thank you to our 2024 Sponsors

Major Support for the ArtNow 2024 exhibition and programs is provided by:

 
 
 
 

With additional support from The Flick Family, The Linda Smythe Young Artists Fund, Saratoga Rotary, Florence & Al Cheung, Deb & Bob Shaw, The Waitte Foundation, Heritage Bank of Commerce, Deborah & Marty Johnson, Elaine Cardinale, Lizabeth Yee & Scott Lefaver, Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, and County of Santa Clara, Supervisor Joe Simitian. In-kind support provided by University Art, Centerpiece LG, and KCAT TV 15.


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