MAEA Meetup: Peabody Essex Museum

Join other art educators for a meet up at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA on Saturday, September 26 at 10 am. 

Visiting museums is more fun with other art teachers! Explore Salem’s renowned Peabody Essex Museum with other MAEA members for FREE.

Museum exploration from 10:00 – 12:00 pm then lunch together at local restaurant – individual pay

Bring a friend – meet other art educators and enjoy art on the North Shore!

Visit www.pem.org for more info about what’s on view.

Please note the date change. Previously it was shared with an earlier date in September.
When: Saturday, September 26, 2026 10:00 am
Where: The Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex Street, Salem, MA 10970
Parking: The Museum Place Parking Garage (1 New Liberty Street) is right across from the museum, but it tends to fill early in the fall so please leave a little time to find parking if needed.

Register here! 

August 18, 2026 Melissa Mastrolia 0

MAEA Meetup: The Art Complex Museum, Duxbury

Join other art educators for a meet up at The Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, MA on Sunday, June 14 at 1pm.

We will meet at the main entrance and start with a close looking activity led by an Art Complex staff member, plus there will be time for independent exploration of all shows on view (admission is FREE!)

Bring a friend – meet other art educators and enjoy art on the South Shore!

Visit artcomplex.org for more info about the Art Complex Museum and see what’s on view.

When: Sunday, April 14, 2026 1:00 pm 
Where: The Art Complex Museum, 189 Alden Street, Duxbury, MA 02332
Register here! 

The museum’s galleries are wheelchair accessible.

May 10, 2026 Melissa Mastrolia 0

Student Opportunity – Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest

Bow Seat’s 2026 Ocean Awareness Contest – Your Story, Our Ocean – encourages youth to explore the many ways our ocean sustains, protects, and inspires us. Bow Seat invites young creatives to think about their personal connection to the ocean – whether coastal or landlocked – through the value it brings to their lives. The benefits of the ocean are widespread and multifaceted, from food production to climate regulation to artistic inspiration. Go through the sub-themes and explore the topics that resonate with you. Share how the ocean has shaped your story through art, writing, performance, film, or multimedia. How does the ocean sustain, protect, and inspire you?

Be sure to check out Bow Seat’s past winners and explore the broader Resource Studio for ideas and guidance.

Quick Contest Details:

  • Free to enter
  • Open to students worldwide between the ages of 11-18
  • Cash awards up to $1,000
  • Submit by June 8, 2026
  • Submissions accepted in:
    • Visual Art: Handcrafted
    • Visual Art: Digital
    • Creative Writing
    • Film
    • Poetry & Spoken Word
    • Performing Arts
    • Interactive & Multimedia
    • Explore the Submission Requirements to learn more about the different categories.

Be sure to check out other student opportunities on our website here. 

April 23, 2026 Melissa Mastrolia 0

Awards Update – Rising Star Secondary Student Award

MAEA is proud to announce we’ve revised our requirements for the Rising Star Secondary Student award to cast a broader net and celebrate high school juniors and seniors pursuing higher education in a visual art field. The MAEA Board has also just voted to award the winning Rising Star award winner $500.

Nomination Forms must be submitted by June 1, 2026 and supplemental materials from nominees must be submitted by July 12, 2026 . All nominees will be notified in the fall, and the official awards ceremony will be held in October 2026.

Check out the nomination requirements here for this and all of the other MAEA awards. 

April 23, 2026 Melissa Mastrolia 0

MAEA Meetup: Addison Gallery of American Art

Join us for a spring MAEA Meetup! Bring a friend- meet other art educators and enjoy the exciting Addison Gallery! (as always, admission is free)

Advance registration required. Space is limited. Cost: Free

Teachers will meet in the atrium at the main entrance and start with a short close looking activity in the exhibition Welcome Home, then have time for independent exploration of all shoes on display! Exhibitions on view.

We will get refreshments in Andover center afterwards if folks are interested.

When: Sunday, April 12, 2026 12:00 pm 
Where: Addison Gallery of American Art, 3 Chapel Avenue, Andover, MA
Register here! 

March 14, 2026 Melissa Mastrolia 0

Central MA Regional Exhibit – YAM at WAM

The Worcester Art Museum is looking forward to hosting the 2026 Youth Art Month Central Mass Regional Exhibition!

The exhibition will run February 23–March 31, 2026.

The Youth Art Month exhibition is free and open to the public. You can find the exhibit in the Higgins Education Wing of the Museum, located off the Lancaster Lobby, accessible by the staircase or elevator on Lancaster Street. View Museum hours.

A celebration will be held on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at 1–3 pm. Details to be announced soon.

About Youth Art Month

Organized by a committee of teachers in conjunction with the Worcester Art Museum. This regional exhibition is open to all Central MA schools. Drop off will be at the Worcester Art Museum (please see submission guide for dates and times). This year each teacher may submit up to 4 works at no cost, regardless of MAEA membership. All work meeting exhibition requirements will be accepted.

Information for teachers

Registration link – Registration deadline: 2/20/2026
Submission information

Contact information

George Smith, Worcester Art Museum Studio Programs Coordinator. georgesmith@worcesterart.org

February 1, 2026 Melissa Mastrolia 1

Call for Submissions: MAEA Recognitions Virtual Exhibit

The MAEA Recognitions Virtual Exhibit is accepting submissions now through January 16, 2026. This juried exhibit is open to students in grades 9-12. Teachers submitting work must be MAEA members. Check out the exhibit submission deadline and schedule below and visit the Recognitions Exhibit page for everything you need to know.

MAEA Recognitions Submission Schedule:

  • Open for Submissions: December 4, 2025 – January 16, 2026 – Deadline extended
  • Jurying Process: January 19 – February 4, 2026
  • Notifications of Acceptance by February 5, 2026
    (YAM Submissions Due February 6, 2026)
  • Online exhibit posted to MAEA website by February 27, 2026

Consider donating today to support the MAEA Art Educator Awards that are part of this exhibit.

Questions? Email student_recognition@massarted.com

December 7, 2025 Melissa Mastrolia 0

2026 Youth Art Month Poster/Flag Contest – Check out this opportunity

YOUTH ART MONTH Poster/FLAG CONTEST:

This year’s this theme for YAM and the Poster/Flag Contest this year is “The World Needs Art”.

  • The flag contest is open to all students in grades K-12.
  • Each teacher may submit up to 15 student entries.
  • Grand Prize of $300 art supply gift card for winning student. PLUS $100 art supply gift card for your classroom. And to top it off, the grand prize work will be displayed at NAEA’s national convention in Louisville, Kentucky!
  • In addition, $100 art supply gift cards will be awarded to one student winner in grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. PLUS an additional $100 art supply gift card for the winning students’ classrooms.
  • Digital entries will be accepted through January 23 – Deadline Extended.
  • Click here for the Youth Art Month Flag Contest Submission Form.
    Please note you must be signed into a Google Account to access this form due to the file upload settings. If you have trouble submitting the form at school please try at home. Your school/districts internet settings may see this form as an issue. If you try it at home and you still have trouble submitting this form, please reach out to youthartmonth@massarted.com for assistance.

Read more about the submission requirements here. 

December 7, 2025 Melissa Mastrolia 0