Open to students across all majors at the University, the Juried Student Exhibition fosters student preparation for professional art settings and processes, provides feedback from art professionals in the community, and exposes student artwork to a wide range of viewers.

2025’s theme is reverberations. Reverberations can look like an echo, a representation of a catalyst. Interpretation of the theme for artworks submitted is encouraged as each artist sees fit. The theme is a loose one; submitted work need not adhere. Rather, it is meant to spur your creativity.

We award cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-place Best in Show. Judges are selected for their diversity of backgrounds and expertise in a variety of media. We will also offer a Palette of Identity Award, sponsored by the Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Community Impact. Artists interested in that award will find more information below.

Join us in thanking this year’s judges.

Elana Adler (born 1986) is a multidisciplinary artist born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and currently based in Portland. She received a BFA in textiles from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2008 and an MFA in fibers and material studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017. While in Chicago, Adler co-organized an artist-run gallery called Adler & Floyd and managed a studio collective in the Industrial Clocktower Building. Her residencies include Surf Point Foundation, Haystack, Monson Arts, Vermont Studio Center, the Wassaic Project, and Hatch Projects through the Chicago Artist Coalition. Adler has exhibited her work nationally and has received funding from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts and the Illinois Art Council. In addition to her studio practice, Adler teaches at the Maine College of Art and Design and works as a studio assistant. 


Meg Hahn is a painter, curator, and arts organizer in Portland, Maine. Her work has been exhibited at the Portland Museum of Art, the Distillery Gallery, the University of New England, W.O.L.F., Perimeter Gallery, Dunes, and SOIL, among others. She has attended residencies at Surf Point, The Golden Foundation, the Vermont Studio Center, Hewnoaks, and the Monhegan Artists’ Residency. She has curated and worked on exhibitions with the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, SPACE, where she is the Development & Special Projects Mangaer, Border Patrol, a curatorial collective she is a co-director of, and the Portland Public Library. She received a BFA in Painting and Art History minor from Maine College of Art & Design. 



Information for artists

Thank you for considering submitting a piece to Reverberations: The 2025 Juried Student Exhibition!

If your work has a physical component, it must be dropped off in the Gallery on either February 18 or 19th between 9 am and 5 pm.

This form must be submitted no later than February 15 at 11:59 pm.  No artwork will be accepted without a form.

Identifying information about artists will NOT be provided to the judges; all artwork is judged blind. However, we do provide them with the title and any additional information that you request be given. We also use this information to create labels once the judging is done for the exhibition.

All work must be ready to hang. Work that is not ready to hang may be rejected. 

PLEASE NOTE: This show will open on March 6, 2025, and will run through March 29. If your work is accepted to the exhibition, it will be expected to be in the Gallery on display for the exhibition’s entirety.

You may submit up to three works. Please use three separate forms to do so. If you have one work that has multiple pieces (e.g., a diptych or triptych), please still consider it one piece of art for submission purposes.

You may not submit work submitted to a previous University of Southern Maine Juried Exhibition.

Important dates

Friday, February 15Deadline to the submit digital artwork form. All work must be accompanied by a digitally submitted form so that the Gallery knows how many pieces to expect.
Tuesday, February 18 –
Wednesday, February 19
Artwork drop off, 9 am – 5 pm. All physical artwork must be dropped off at the Gallery. The Gallery is located on the Gorham campus at 5 University Way.
Monday, February 24Notification of if artwork has been accepted
Monday, February 24 –
Tuesday, February 25
Pick up of work not selected at the Art Gallery.
Thursday, March 6
6 – 8 pm
Exhibition opening reception and awards ceremony. Awards ceremony to begin at 6:30 pm.
Saturday, March 29Final day of the exhibition
Monday, March 31 –
Tuesday, April 1
Artwork pick up.

FAQ

  • What if my work doesn’t adhere to the theme?
    The theme is very loose, and submitted work need not adhere to it. It is meant to spur your creativity if you are stuck, but it is not a strict guideline. Always err on the side of submission rather than not!
  • What are the prize amounts?
    Prize amounts are
    • $125 for 1st Place
    • $100 for 2nd Place
    • and $75 for 3rd place.
    • The Palette of Identity winner will receive $125.
    • The Office of Equity, Inclusion, &amp; Community Impact (EICI) is delighted to present the inaugural EICI Award for the 2024 exhibition. The Palette of Identity Award will be given to a student artist exploring the intersection of identity and belonging through their submitted artwork.&nbsp;<br><br>We encourage submissions by students from historically underrepresented and marginalized identities, showcasing the tapestry of your lived experience through the visual medium of your choice. Your voice matters, and your art can spark a conversation about our shared narratives.

      The student given this award will receive a Certificate of Recognition from the EICI Office and a cash prize of $125.

      In order to be eligible for consideration for the prize, artwork must adhere to the guidelines for submission laid out by the Art Gallery. Consideration for this prize is separate from best-in-show awards, and will not affect a submission’s eligibility to potentially receive both prizes.

      To register for consideration for the EICI Palette of Identity Prize, select the “Palette of Identity Award” option when filling out the submission form for Reverberations: The 2025 Student Juried Exhibition.
  • How will the jurors judge my work?
    Jurors bring their individual expertise to evaluate artwork based on the following criteria:
    • Concept
    • Execution
    • Presentation
      These criteria are not weighted and are subject to the jurors’ individual discretion. The jurors judge the work in-person at the Gallery.

We can’t wait to see what you submit!