San Marcos Art League hosts first ever art award showcase

A collection of some works featured in this year’s Award Showcase at the San Marcos Art Center.
Photo submitted by SMAL

The San Marcos Art League is unveiling their newest Award Art Showcase this May at the San Marcos Art Center, where Art League members can enter to compete for prizes and a spot in the July 2024 Winners’ Showcase. This will be the first time SMAL has ever hosted an art competition showcase at the art center. With submissions that exceeded expectations, 50 local artists will be showcasing their work and competing for the grand prize in this month’s exhibition.

“I’m excited to see how inspired our local artists are,” Norman Bean, cochair for the showcase and long-time San Marcos Art Center showing artist, said. “When there is a monetary prize, perhaps the best and newest work emerges.” Bean is also looking forward to what both artists and the art league can take away from this experience.

“We might take away from this process a sense of friendly competition, to create the best we can, knowing the work will be critically judged and publicly viewed and compared with each other (who and what won the competition).”

“This is the first time that the Art League has hosted an art exhibition with monetary awards,” Art Center Director Nancy Brown said. “An art exhibition that awards artists money can provide financial support and recognition for their work and supports emerging and established artists. It contributes to the growth and development of the local art community. Additionally, monetary awards can help raise the profile of the artists and their work, attracting more attention from collectors, galleries, and the wider art community.”

The San Marcos Art Center is located at 117 N. Guadalupe St. Suite 101 in Downtown San Marcos. The Award Showcase will be showing throughout the month of May during hours of operation (Wednesday - Sunday from 11a.m. - 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturdays).

Winners of the showcase will be announced at the end of the month. For more information, visit sanmarcosartcenter. com