ArtNow 2021: Good Trouble

This year, NUMU invites Santa Clara County high school students to create an original work of art in response to the exhibition theme: Good Trouble.

From his activist work as a Freedom Rider marching on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965, to his decades-long legislative work on the Voting Rights Act, Congressman John Lewis (1940-2020) never strayed from his pursuit of justice and equality. New Museum Los Gatos honors the battle and the achievements of this acclaimed leader by inviting high school student artists from Santa Clara County to render and submit their interpretations of Lewis’ call to “make some noise and get in good trouble.”

“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”—John Lewis on the ongoing fight for equal rights, 2018

ArtNow 2021: Virtual Exhibition Announcement

All of us at NUMU dream about the day museums can reopen and welcome our community in-person once more. Although Covid-19 has created many obstacles with temporary closures of museums nationwide, along with the inability to host in-person gatherings, there is potential to reach and serve an even wider audience than we ever thought possible. With a few months of virtual programs under our belts, NUMU is excited to announce that our premier annual exhibition of high school artists, ArtNow, will be an exciting digital exhibition that you can visit 24 hours a day! 

Now in its tenth year, ArtNow will be entirely virtual in 2021, presenting a new opportunity for emerging artists to gain exposure through virtual presentations of their artwork, online gatherings to celebrate their accomplishments, and a commemorative exhibition catalog. Stay tuned for an exciting series of programs that will help young artists get noticed and launch their artistic careers. We’ve already received over 200 submissions and we are so impressed with the caliber of work responding to this year’s theme: GOOD TROUBLE. Submissions closed January 31st at midnight.

None of this would be possible without the talented students artists, encouraging teachers and parents, and the generous support of our sponsors. We’d like to thank our sponsors that have stuck by us, and remained dedicated to NUMU’s vision to offer equal and equitable representation, opportunities and services to all. In particular, we wish to thank visionary supporters Alyce and Michael Parsons for helping us launch ArtNow back in 2011. We also owe a special thank you to The Town of Los Gatos, Los Gatos Morning Rotary, The Flick Family, University Art, West Valley College, Saratoga Rotary, The Waitte Foundation, Ginger & Jon McDonald, The Linda Smythe Young Artists Fund, Jillian Troftgruben, John & Valerie Hopkins, Heritage Bank of Commerce, California College of the Arts and KCAT TV 15. Because of all of you, ArtNow continues to inspire and acknowledge young artists on the precipice of their artistic careers. I’ll see you online, and in-person, soon!

Ami Davis
NUMU Executive Director

About ArtNow

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

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