All-City Senior Portfolio Exhibition
In partnership with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), the All-City Senior Portfolio Exhibition gives CPS high school seniors the opportunity to exhibit their artwork and to gain exposure among selected admissions representatives of various colleges and universities. Students in grade 12 from any CPS school (including district-managed, charter, contract, and options schools) are eligible to submit work.
Senior Portfolio Exhibition Dates
Submission Window
Date: October 23rd, 2023 – November 30th, 2023
Notification of Acceptance
Date: December 11th, 2023 (via email)
Work Collection on-site @ SAIC Gallery
Date: December 14th, 4 PM to 7 PM, December 15th, 4 PM to 7 PM, the 16th Noon to 5 PM, and the 18th from 4 PM to 7 PM @ SITE Sharp Gallery
*Work will be collected at 37 S. Wabash Ave (The Sharp Building) on the dates listed above.
Failure to submit a media release or any other required information could result in removal from the exhibition.
In-Person & Online Exhibition Opens
Date: Monday, January 8th, 2024
In-Person Opening Reception
Date: Tuesday, January 9th, 2024
Time: 3 PM - 6 PM
In-Person Exhibition
Date: January 8th - 14th, 2024
Location: 37 S. Wabash Ave, THE SITE Sharp GALLERY
Time: Tuesday - Friday (2-8 pm) and Sat.-Sun. (10:30 am-5 pm)
Work Collection
January 14th - 16th, 2024
Who Can Submit to the Online Exhibition
Senior students (12th grade) from any CPS school (district-managed, contract, charter, or options) can directly submit artwork to the exhibition.
General Submission Guidelines
- Artwork may be 2D, 3D, or time-based (video, computer-based, etc.)
- Schools that do not have a Visual Arts teacher on staff may still submit artwork.
- All artwork must be created entirely by students and have been completed during the 2023-2024 school year.
- Student’s and teacher’s names should be as they would like it to appear publicly on gallery wall labels, the exhibition website, and publicity materials.
- Submit 1–5 items of artwork. Submitted artwork should be documented with high-quality photographs that are properly lit (See Below for Tips). For each item, follow the Artwork Guidelines.
Art Guidelines
File naming
Please use this protocol below when naming files. If you are submitting multiple images of work, please add a numerical number at the end of the name to distinguish the artwork from one another. The image file extension may differ from what is in the example below (.jpeg, .png).
- (Example: Eric+Smith+1.jpeg)
- (Example: Eric+Smith+2.jpeg)
- (Example: Eric+Smith+3.jpeg)
Title
In the Slideroom application, please enter the title of the artwork exactly as you want it to appear on gallery labels and the exhibition website, including spelling and capitalization.
Description
Use this field to include your Artist Statement (if applicable; see below) and anything else you think we should know about the artwork.
Medium
Enter the medium of the artwork (e.g., Artist Book, Collage, Comic, Drawing, Fashion, Fiber, Game, Graphic Design, Installation, Internet Art, Music, Painting, Performance, Photograph, Print, Sculpture, Sound, Video, etc.)
Materials used to make the artwork
Please describe the materials used to create the work; e.g., oil paint, yarn, images from the newspaper
Dimensions of Artwork
Please include the height x width x (depth, if 3D work) in inches.
For video/audio files
Please include the duration (how long) in minutes.
Artist Statement Information
- Use the "Description" field in the Slideroom application to enter this information.
- We encourage each student to write a statement (3 sentences max) about their piece(s). Artist statements help give context to each submission; however, they are not mandatory and will not affect acceptance into the exhibition.
- Submitted statements may be displayed along with the work if the statement demonstrates exemplary clarity, critical thinking, and creativity.
- A statement can answer (but is not limited to) these questions:
- What is the title of the work?
- Explain why you made the piece.
- What does the piece mean to you?
- What are you trying to say to your audience?
Tips for Taking Photos of Your Work
- In the application link, you will be required to submit photographs of your work.
- Keep in mind these tips when taking photos of your artwork:
- A statement can answer (but is not limited to) these questions:
- Try to fill the entire camera frame with your work. If you are shooting against a background, make sure it is neutral or black, and frame your work evenly in the shot.
- Use bright natural lighting if possible. Natural-light fluorescent lighting is another good choice. Do not use a flash. Position your work so that there are no shadows in the shot.
- Take multiple shots of your piece(s), and pick the best one(s). Take your time and ensure that you submit photos that show the artwork at its best.
- Please be aware that if selected for the exhibition, the image you submit will be the image included. There will be no additional image editing by the Department of Aarts Education (e.g., cropping, color enhancement, etc.).
Mayrav Bader: Trip in Venice
Nicole Kucharska: Visitor
Selection of Work
- Student work will be considered for inclusion in the Exhibition (both physically at SAIC* AND virtually on the website) OR in the Honorable Mention section (virtually on the website).
- At least one (1) piece from each school that submits will be in the Exhibition and/or Honorable Mention section of the website.
Post-Selection Guidelines
- Please check your email on or around December 11, 2023, for your selection status.
- Any missing submission information must be rectified before the missing information deadline of December 18, 2023. Failure to submit a media release or any other required information could result in the removal of artwork from the exhibition.
Specific Guidelines for Artwork Selected for the In-Person Exhibition
- Artwork must be dropped off at the School of the Art Institute (37 S. Wabash Ave, The Sharp Building) on one of the following days: December 15th, 16th, or 18th between 10AM - 3PM
- All selected artwork for physical display in the exhibition must be available and remain in the show from December 16th - January 15th.
- Artwork must be picked up from the School of the Art Institute (37 S. Wabash Ave, The Sharp Building) on Sunday, January 15th through Wednesday, January 18th at SITE Sharp Gallery
- If you fail to pick up the work from the drop-off dates, the work will not be returned.
- It is the responsibility of selected students and their art teachers (if applicable) to transport the artwork to and from the exhibition site (37 S. Wabash Ave. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago) on the designated drop-off and pick-up dates.
- Any missing submission information must be rectified before drop off.
- All pieces must be labeled (on the back of the piece) with the following information:
- Student Name, Grade, Teacher, School, and Title
- Please also include any special installation instructions written on a note.
- Each teacher should bring ALL pieces in a container (box, portfolio, cardstock, cardboard, etc.) that is labeled with their last name, number of pieces, and school. This container will be used to give work back in at pick up. If you do not label your container, it is not guaranteed that you will receive the same one back.
View the 2024 Senior Portfolio Exhibition
We are so incredibly proud of the 150 high school seniors from over 30 CPS schools whose artwork was selected to feature in the in-person and online exhibitions! We also extend our deepest thanks to the teachers, administrators, parents, and family members who submitted work on behalf of these students or encouraged them to independently submit their work.