Boundless

Students from K–12 living in San Bernardino County, the Inland Empire, and surrounding areas are welcome to submit their artwork.

The theme invites artists to explore moments from the past, feelings in the present, dreams for the future, and imagination without limits.

There is no right or wrong interpretation — be creative and express your own story.

No. Submission and exhibition participation are completely free.

Yes. Students may submit up to 2 artworks, but only one may be selected for display, depending on space and curation.

Paintings under 18″ × 24″ will be framed for free by the exhibition team.

Larger works must be framed, mounted, or created on canvas by the artist.

Sculptures and 3D art must be sturdy; for fragile pieces, send photos or a video first.

Yes! Digital artwork must be saved as JPEG or PNG and uploaded through the submission form. If selected, we will print and display it.

Use this format: FullName_ArtworkTitle.jpeg — for example, JaneDoe_HarmonyInNature.jpeg.

Yes — each artwork needs one reflection piece, either an essay (up to 500 words) or a video (up to 3 minutes).

This helps viewers understand your inspiration and will be included in the artbook or shown during the exhibition.

Not all submissions will be displayed. A selection panel will review all entries and choose artworks based on creativity, interpretation of the theme, and available display space. Being selected means your artwork will be showcased in our annual exhibitions.

For 2026, we will feature two main exhibitions: in March, at the Rancho Cucamonga Goldy S. Lewis Community Center; in April, at the 5th Rancho Cucamonga Arts Festival at Victoria Gardens Cultural Center. If your artwork is selected, we will contact you in March with detailed exhibition instructions.

Each year, we typically select around 170 artworks for display. From these selected pieces, our judges will present 9 Top Cash Awards; 12 Judges’ Awards (prize bags sponsored by Blick Art Materials); and Outstanding Achievement Awards — all selected artists will also receive an official Outstanding Achievement certificate from the San Bernardino County Arts Council – Arts Connection.

Please email us to arrange a special drop-off time. We will try our best to accommodate when possible.

Artists will be notified by email after the review period — typically in early March 2026.

You have two options, which you can choose on the submission form: donate your artwork to Polaris Education Foundation (PEF) to support our youth art programs, or pick up your artwork after the exhibition.

If you choose to pick up your artwork, it must be picked up on April 18, 2026, between 3:00 and 4:00 PM. We will send a reminder email with the exact pickup location and details.

All selected artworks will also be published in our annual artbook on Amazon. We encourage families to purchase a copy as a special keepsake and to support our program.

Yes! Awards will be presented on April 18, 2026, during the exhibition celebration.

This year’s awards include 9 cash awards — 1st place $150, 2nd place $100, 3rd place $50, awarded across three categories; 12 Judges’ Awards (special prize bags sponsored by Blick Art Materials); and Outstanding Achievement Certificates for all selected artworks.

Additional honors include Best in Theme, Young Artist Achievement Awards, and City and Community Awards. Selected winners will receive certificates and special recognition during the awards ceremony on April 18, 2026.

Essays will appear on the artwork label and in the printed artbook.

Videos may be shown during the exhibition and shared on our digital platforms.

Email polarisartshow@gmail.com — we are happy to help!