On Saturday, November 15, more than 100 individuals from around the state gathered in the Historic Cane Hill College to celebrate the selection of works of art from Arkansas High School students.
For seven consecutive years, the Historic Cane Hill High School Art Competition and Exhibition has given students a chance for their work to be displayed formally in an art gallery. For many students this is their first time for art work to be featured in such a public space.
This competition is open to any sophomore, junior, or senior in the state, and this year 177 students representing 40 towns and cities in Arkansas submitted their artwork. From those entries, 36 students from 13 schools were selected for display in the Cane Hill gallery. Four of those students received the Curator’s Awards, accompanied by cash prizes, and one exceptionally promising senior earned the Historic Cane Hill Young Artist Scholarship to support their pursuit of higher arts education at the University of Arkansas School of Art. This potentially life-changing scholarship provides up to $10,000 funding toward tuition and fees for the freshman year. This scholarship is made possible by the generosity of Tim and Amy Leach.
“I really believe that this competition and exhibition is one of the greatest experiences that a high school student-artist can participate in,” said Shane Beyer, an art teacher at Bentonville Schools. “Ultimately, the effects are all positive, giving each individual artist a real-life art experience. Even if the results are initially disappointing, these real results and the real emotions drive the real artists to further pursue excellence. From the anticipation of receiving that acceptance email to the awards ceremony, it is an exciting experience.”
Channeling the spirit of education and the arts, both founding tenets of Cane Hill College, Historic Cane Hill strives to create an arts-friendly community. Cane Hill has long since served as the backdrop for a storied human past and is a place where people of all ages can explore and be inspired by historic architecture and natural beauty.
The 2025 Award Recipients were:
Historic Cane Hill Young Artist Scholarship
Aleksandra “Sasha” Bogan, a senior at Little Rock Central School.
Seniors interested in the scholarship must submit three pieces for consideration. Her works are “Aleksandra,” “Unfinished Nest,” and “Zombie.”
Curator’s Awards
Veda Ash, a sophomore at Bentonville West HS, for the piece titled “Cassandra”
Avery Clinton, a sophomore at Bentonville West HS, for the piece titled “Fragile”
Max Neufer, a senior at Bentonville West HS, for the piece titled “A Boy’s Peace”
Yenuli Wikramashinghe, a senior at Bentonville West HS, for the piece titled “The Blood of your Ignorance”
“I have had two students receive the Best of Show scholarship, and this scholarship is a difference-maker in the life of a high school student,” said Beyer. “I have seen it change the course of a student’s career path. It is an incredible privilege and opportunity.”
The works of all students selected for display in the Historic Cane Hill gallery can be viewed here:
The 2025 exhibition will remain on display at the Cane Hill Gallery, 14327 S Hwy 45, Canehill, until January 17, 2026. Gallery hours are Thursday-Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM. Admission is free and open to the public.
Congratulations to this year’s selected artists!
The deadline for submissions of artwork for the 2026 Competition will be in October 2025.
Image: “Zombie,” by Historic Cane Hill Young Artist Scholarship winner Aleksandra “Sasha” Bogan, a senior at Little Rock Central School.