2026 Colorado State University Student Art Exhibition

The LSC Arts Program in the Lory Student Center at Colorado State University seeks student entries for the annual Student Art Exhibition. The deadline to submit is 11:59pm on Thursday, October 22nd. Applicants must be current Colorado State University students and their submitted artworks must have been completed within the last 18 months. All visual media are welcome.

The Lory Student Center Arts Program is excited to announce the 2026 installment of the Annual Student Art Exhibition in the Curfman Gallery. This exhibition, which is the longest-running annual event through the LSC Arts Program, highlights the artistic achievements of CSU's undergraduate and graduate students while allowing students to showcase their artwork in the LSC's largest exhibition venue. Additionally. exhibited works may be selected to be purchased for the LSC Arts Program's collection. All CSU students of any major are eligible to enter a variety of two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and/or digital artworks for the show, which will take place in the Curfman Gallery from December 1st, 2026 - February 19th, 2027. All forms of media are eligible for submission. Submissions are due by 11:59pm on Thursday, October 22nd, 2026. 

Students may submit up to 3 images or video files of work completed within the last 18 months. If selected for the exhibition, work must be delivered to the Curfman Gallery on Monday, November 9th. Upon drop-off, work must be ready to be displayed, meaning that pieces must be properly framed, professionally presented, and/or include proper hanging hardware. Any 2D works under 24 x 36 inches must be framed unless otherwise organized with LSC Arts Staff. All 3D works must be stable. Magnets, tenor hooks, and pins are not acceptable display methods for standard 2D works such as posters, photographs, prints, and all other standard works on paper. If you would like more guidance on how to display accepted work, please reach out to the LSC Arts Program for guidance at lsc_artsprogram@mail.colostate.edu.

Submission to this juried exhibition is free to all Colorado State University students and is limited to current Colorado State University students.

For more information about how to enter, photograph artwork, and display artwork for the exhibition, please visit our website: https://lsc.colostate.edu/involvement/lsc-arts-program/annual-student-art-exhibition-2/  

Dates to Remember: 
Applications Due: 11:59 pm, Thursday, October 22nd, 2026
Artwork Drop-off: 4-8pm, Monday, November 9th, 2026
Exhibition Dates: Tuesday, December 1st, 2026 to Friday, February 19th, 2027
Opening Reception & Awards: 4:30-6pm, Tuesday, December 1st, 2026

This Year’s Jurors:

Emily Grace King is a curator, artist, and arts advocate in the Denver Metro area. She serves as the Art and Exhibits Curator for Special Collections and Archives at Denver Public Library, where she curates a collection of over 4,000 works of regional art and manages a variety of exhibits, Previously, Emily was the Exhibition Manager and Associate Curator at the Arvada Center for the Arts, working with contemporary Colorado artists to create over thirty exhibitions in the Center’s 10,000 square feet of galleries. Emily co-created Westbound: Art by Train, an experimental artist residency onboard the California Zephyr train line. She holds a Master’s in Museum Studies from Harvard University and studied painting in undergrad at the University of Northern Colorado. Emily is deeply passionate about empowering artists to live creative lives with dignity, stability, freedom, and joy. Her project, Building Local Artist Legacy: Creating Accessible Resources for Collection Planning for Artists and Their Families began through a fellowship at the Clyfford Still Museum Institute in 2024 and was awarded Harvard’s Annamae and Allan R. Crite Prize in 2026, recognizing dedication to advancing arts education.

Paul Acevedo Gomez is a Colorado-based visual artist who currently works as an Assistant Professor of Printmaking and Foundations at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. His work embodies personal mythologies derived from heritage, challenging societal norms imposed by family values, cultural expectations, and religious influences, while incorporating elements of both Mexican and American pop culture. Gomez’s compositions blend traditional techniques with contemporary elements. He is known for his vibrant colors and dynamic compositions, which infuse his work with energy and movement.

Language plays a dual role in his work, acting as both a barrier and an additive element. Often, it reflects his unique identity, aiming to translate his ideas and experiences for the viewer to engage with and contemplate. His work is expressed through various mediums, including traditional printmaking, paper works, sculpture, and drawing. The pieces feature a mix of vivid colors and black-and-white compositions, evoking both somber and joyful moments. By working with a range of sizes, Gomez can recreate vivid memories of personal conversations and experiences that feel both intimate and ambitious.
 
Submissions: 
Submission to this juried exhibition is free to all Colorado State University Students.

Please direct any questions to lsc_artsprogram@mail.colostate.edu

Minimum of 1 image or video, maximum of 3 files total. Do not submit more than one file for any single piece of artwork.

• Applicants must be currently enrolled as students at Colorado State University. Students of any major or level of study are eligible. 
• Artworks must have been created in the last 18 months
• Artwork must be ready to displayed when delivered. Unmounted works on paper will not be accepted. Standard 2D works on paper under 24 x 36 inches must be framed and include hanging hardware unless otherwise arranged with LSC Arts Program Staff. 3D works must be stable. Magnets, pushpins, and tenor hooks are not acceptable hanging methods for standard 2D artwork. 
• AI-generated artworks are not acceptable for this exhibition.