William and Dorothy Yeck Young Artists Competitions

Hiestand Galleries at Miami University held a reception on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, to celebrate the 2026 Miami University Young Painters Competition Finalists.

The 2026 finalists are: Briell Giancola, Kent, Ohio; Niloufar Fallahfar, East Lansing, Michigan; Hannah Keats, Tallahassee, Florida; Karah Lain, San Diego, California; Donny Nie, Galesburg, Illinois; Nikta Roknoldini, Brooklyn, New York; Colby Schwartz, Streetsboro, Ohio; John Singletary, Brooklyn, New York; and Emily Somoskey, Walla Walla, Washington.

Juried by artist, Saya Woolfalk, The 2026 Miami University Young Painters Competition Awardees were announced by the Director of Hiestand Galleries, Ann Taulbee, at the February 6 reception in the Hiestand Galleries, Department of Art, College of Creative Arts, Miami University.

Three awards were announced. Please see below.

The exhibition continues through March 6, 2026.

Through a generous gift from William (Class of 1936) and Dorothy Yeck, of Dayton, Ohio, Miami University has a unique opportunity to provide students and the community at large with opportunities to develop a deeper understanding of contemporary art through an annual national competition.

Started in 1999, the Young Painters Competition features artists aged 25 - 35, who demonstrate excellence. The juror, chosen from nationally recognized painters, museum directors, curators and art professionals, selects 10 finalists. Each year's winner is awarded the $10,000 William and Dorothy Yeck Award and the painting becomes a part of the permanent collection at Miami University. Alternating between representational/realism and non-representational painting, this competition assures a prominent national role for Miami University, rewarding and inspiring the creativity of talented young artists. We hope you enjoy our yearly competition as we navigate the visual, historical and critical development of painting through the 21st century.

Young Painters Entry Prospectus

The Young Sculptors Competition was initially conceived in 1989 as The Miami University Outdoor Sculpture Competition and featured campus on-site works by Hank Di Ricco, Michael Roy Layne, Marcia Kaplan, Mary Scrupe, Steven Siegel, Mie Preckler, John Noble, Colin Beatty, Pat Musick, Shawn Skabelund, Sherri Simons and John Reth.

In 2005, the competition evolved to mirror our Young Painters Competition, with the exception that Young Sculptors would be a biennial competition held every other year of the 21st century. The juror, chosen from nationally recognized sculptors, museum directors, curators, and art professionals, selects 10 finalists. The juror delivers an on-campus lecture that coincides with the exhibition and provides insight into the critical process and their professional research.

Young Sculptors Entry Prospectus