VISIT | EXHIBITION

East Tennessee Regional Art Exhibition

Exhibition NOTES

East Tennessee Regional Art Exhibition

EAST TENNESSEE REGIONAL STUDENT ART EXHIBITION

November 27, 2026 – January 10, 2027

The 21st Annual East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition is presented by the Knoxville Museum of Art each fall. The ETRSAE showcases the strength and diversity of art education programs in East Tennessee, celebrates talented middle and high school students, and supports arts education. This annual exhibition provides the opportunity for students to participate in a juried exhibition and to have their artworks displayed in a professional art museum environment. We are so delighted by the quality of the artworks, the dedication of the teachers, and the commitment of the museum staff to establish a museum and school tradition for our community.

Teachers at public, private, and home schools across East Tennessee submit artwork by students in grades 6–12. The submissions go through an intensive jury process and are narrowed down to roughly 300 works of art to be displayed at the museum. Categories for the competition include ceramic, drawing, video production, mixed media, painting, computer graphics, sculpture, digital or traditional photography, and printmaking.

The Best-in-Show winner receives a Purchase Award of $500, and the artwork becomes a permanent part of the collection of Mr. James Dodson, on loan to the Knoxville Museum of Art’s Education Collection. The Best-in-Middle School winner receives $250. The “Best” in each of the 9 categories receives a cash award and will be included the TN State Student Art Best of the Best exhibition hosted by the Tennessee Arts Academy each summer. The teachers of winning students are recognized for their dedication and excellence in teaching with the Rosalind Martin Educator Awards.

Awards Reception will be held on Tuesday, December 8, 2026

This exhibition celebrates KMA’s continued dedication to arts education in our museum and in our community.

2026 ETRSAE Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor

  • Emerson Automation Solutions

Lead Sponsors

  • Home Federal Bank
  • Rotary Club of Knoxville
  • Ann & Steve Bailey
  • The Guild of the Knoxville Museum of Art

Community Partners (logos only)

  • Aside Project Studio
  • Becky & Jim Dodson
  • Coleman’s Printing & Awards, LLC.
  • Express Frame
  • Jerry’s Artarama
  • City of Knoxville
  • Knox County
  • Tennessee Arts Commission
  • Tennessee Art Education Association
  • National Endowment for the Arts

Image Credit line for Best in Show 2025

Best in Show, 2025

Nayumi Rei Testa, 11th grade

Rose

Drawing

Roane County High School

Natascha Hudson, Art Teacher