Cane Hill has long served as the backdrop for a storied human past– this place has a rich history and deep connections especially to education and the arts. In the 1800s, classes taught at Cane Hill College included classical music and painting. Channeling the spirit of education and the arts, both founding tenets of Cane Hill College, Historic Cane Hill is hosting the 8th annual High School Art Exhibition.
This exhibition showcases the incredible talents of high school students from across Arkansas and is open to any sophomore, junior, or senior in the state. This year, 96 students representing 31 towns and cities in Arkansas submitted their artwork. From those entries, 32 students from 13 schools were selected for display in the Historic Cane Hill gallery.
This exhibition gives many students their first chance to be featured in a juried show. In addition, six students received cash prizes and one exceptionally accomplished senior is awarded the Historic Cane Hill Young Artist Scholarship. This potentially life-changing scholarship provides up to $10,000 funding toward tuition and fees for the freshman year at the University of Arkansas School of Art. This scholarship is made possible by the generosity of Tim and Amy Leach.
The winner of the 2026 Historic Cane Hill Young Artist Award is Madelyn Honeycutt, a senior at Valley Springs High School.
This year, Historic Cane Hill selected Dr. Aelim Kim, Assistant Professor of Art Education at the University of Arkansas School of Art, as the juror. As the juror, Dr. Kim reviewed 96 applications, selected artists for the exhibition, and recommended four cash-prize winners and finalists for the School of Art scholarship. Criteria guiding those decisions included artistic thinking, written reflection, its translation into form, care in preparing the application, and potential for growth.
Dr. Kim earned her Ph.D. in Arts Administration, Education, and Policy from The Ohio State University. With more than 25 years working as a visual artist, educator, and researcher, her work spans museums, K–12 schools, community programs, broadcasting, and research institutions. Her research focuses on critical multiculturalism, digital pedagogy, and global engagement in visual culture education.
Dr. Kim is a co-founder of trace layer play collective and trace layer play creative, two arts-based research initiatives that foster collaboration through exhibitions, publications, workshops, and presentations. Her work employs playful pedagogy and socially engaged practices to explore creative inquiry.
The full list of this year’s winners are:
Historic Cane Hill Young Artist Scholarship
Madelyn Honeycutt
Historic Cane Hill Young Gallery Awards
Michelle Achukwu
Sophie VanLandingham
Historic Cane Hill Young Juror’s Awards
Jasmin Evans
Layla Hamner
Isabella Hutchinson
Mel Newton
The gallery is open from 10 am to 2 pm Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Please note that we will be closed Thanksgiving week and again the week of Christmas. We reopen January 4 and the show runs until January 16, 2026.
Keep an eye out for the Call for Entries for the 2027 Competition next fall. We look forward to seeing what next year’s students create.
We are grateful for the partnership of the University of Arkansas School of Art and the support of Tim and Amy Leach, whose generosity makes the Historic Cane Hill Young Artist Scholarship possible.
We also thank the following sponsors for their support of this exhibition:
Featured image: “I Keep On Falling” by senior Madelyn Honeycutt, from Valley Springs High School. Madelyn is the 2026 Historic Cane Hill Young Artist Scholarship Award recipient.