Events for May 14, 2026

The Midland Arts Association proudly presents the 2026 Spring Juried Exhibition, hosted in partnership with the Museum of the Southwest. This annual exhibition celebrates exceptional contemporary artwork by artists from Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Exhibition Dates March 26 – June 7, 2026 Opening Reception & Awards Thursday, March 26, 20265:30 – 7:00 PMOpen to the public Location Museum of the Southwest1705 W. Missouri Ave.Midland, TX 79701 About the Exhibition Since 1978, the Midland Arts Association’s Spring Juried Exhibition has been a cornerstone of the region’s arts calendar. Juried by a respected professional in the field, the exhibition highlights a wide range of media and artistic perspectives, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience outstanding regional talent in a museum setting. Juror Laura Romer HuckabyCurator of Collections & ExhibitionsSan Angelo Museum of Fine Arts Awards The exhibition features $2,500 in cash awards, including Best of Show, recognizing artistic excellence across multiple disciplines. Plan Your Visit The exhibition is on view during regular museum hours from March 26 through June 7, 2026. Admission policies follow those of the Museum of the Southwest.

The first hero was nature herself; sweeping landscapes awed early audiences and are still prominent in modern pieces. Then, the people took their turn. Though early depictions of cowboys and Native Americans were often flawed in interpretation and depiction, it is the heroic moments of perseverance within a harsh landscape that made them worthy of immortalization through art. Finally, wildlife stole the focus. The simple yet powerful balance animals create in nature harmonized the disruptiveness of people and the emptiness of a landscape. Each of these subjects has created visual lessons on what the West is, was, and how it has changed today. Admission to the Museum and it’s exhibitions is always free. Shifting Subjects: Heroes of the West is on view April 2 through May 31.

This exhibition is the third in a series of American art exhibitions created through a multiyear, multi-institutional partnership formed by the Amon Carter Museum of American Art as part of the Art Bridges Cohort Program. Bringing together more than 66 works from the collection of Art Bridges, the Amarillo Museum of Art, Art Museum of South Texas, Amon Carter Museum of American Art, and the Ellen Noël Art Museum, this exhibition features family lifecycles from aging to death. This collection of works, comprised of paintings, photographs, works on paper, and video, delves into the milestones and challenges of family and community life—from birth to aging, and from the bonds of joy to the fractures of loss. The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on how we form families and communities; how those relationships are disrupted by adversity, such as illness, poverty, or immigration; and how they are fortified through love, celebration, and resilience.

Spend some time enjoying a discussion of selected works from the Ellen Noël Art Museum. Learn visual thinking strategies to discuss artwork. Free!