Purchase tickets starting May 1 at nicoletce.tix.com

The opening reception, with many of the artists in attendance, is one of the highlights of the year. The attendees not only get a first peek at the exhibit and witness the awards, but also enjoy an evening of dining, music, and refreshments. The main event is the judge’s talk, which always leaves the audience enlightened and inspired.

Northern Arts Council and Nicolet College proudly present the Northern National Art Competition for the 38th year in a row. The exhibit contains roughly 100 artworks that have been selected from numerous entries across the nation by a visiting arts professional. Out of those that make it to our gallery, a handful are awarded cash prizes including three $1000 awards of excellence. The quality and caliber of the artwork makes it one of the premiere annual exhibits in Northern Wisconsin.

Each year brings a different judge and their unique lens which makes every Northern National special. This year we welcome Jaleesa Johnston. She is an interdisciplinary artist, educator and curator, currently living and working in the Pacific Northwest. She holds a BA from Vassar College, an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and an MA from the University of Bergen in Norway. Her interdisciplinary art practice explores the ruptured space between the subjectivity and objectivity of the Black female body. She has been the recipient of the AICAD Post-Graduate Teaching Fellowship, Centrum’s Emerging Artist Residency, Open Signal’s New Media Fellowship, Performance Works NW Alembic Artist Residency, and an Artist Trust Fellowship Award.

Jaleesa also works as Curatorial Coordinator in the Curatorial Department at the Portland Art Museum, where she initiated and curates an ongoing exhibition series titled, “Conductions: Black Imaginings.” The opening reception, with many of the artists in attendance, is one of the highlights of the year. The attendees not only get a first peek at the exhibit and witness the awards, but also enjoy an evening of dining, music, and refreshments. The main event is the judge’s talk, which always leaves the audience enlightened and inspired.