The Newport Art Museum is bringing back its Members’ Juried Exhibition after a strategic planning process revealed strong community demand for the tradition.
The exhibition, titled “Springboard,” opens Jan. 22, 2026, in the museum’s historic John N.A. Griswold House and will feature works by museum members displayed alongside pieces from the permanent collection. The show runs through May 31, 2026.
Julie Keyes, founder of Keyes Art, a global art consultancy in Sag Harbor, N.Y., will serve as juror. Keyes has more than 30 years of experience in the contemporary art world and has advised private collectors, corporations and cultural institutions.
“Springboard invites artists to put their best foot forward,” Keyes said. “In conversation with the museum’s permanent collection, the exhibition encourages artists to reflect on the past as they consider their own practice more critically and with greater ambition.”
The exhibition asks artists to explore themes of cultural inheritance, artistic lineage and collective memory — whether by honoring tradition, questioning it or reimagining it entirely.
Executive Director Harry Philbrick said the decision to revive the exhibition came directly from community input during recent strategic planning.
“Building off an exciting summer season and the success of Wet Paint, we are bringing back the Members’ Juried Exhibition to respond to what our community wants,” Philbrick said.
All current museum members may submit one to five works created within the past two years. Submissions must demonstrate originality, technical excellence and a clear relationship to the Springboard theme.
The submission deadline is Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. Artists will be notified Dec. 15, and selected works must be delivered Jan. 11-13, 2026.
At the Jan. 22 opening reception, Keyes will present three awards: Juror’s Choice, Emerging Artist Award and Award for Innovation. A VIP preview is scheduled from 5 to 6 p.m., followed by a public reception from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Michelle Piscopo, manager of membership at the museum, said the members’ exhibition was “one of the strongest themes that emerged from surveys and conversations” during the planning process.
Full submission details are available at NewportArtMuseum.org/Springboard.
The Newport Art Museum was founded in 1912 as the Art Association of Newport.
