18th Annual Emerging Artists Exhibit 2025

Deer Path Art League focuses on promoting the arts within the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff community through a very special Emerging Artists Exhibit, held each year. Art teachers from local public and private schools submit a limited number of 2-D and 3-D works by students in grades pre-school through high school. At the Emerging Artists Opening Reception on April 6th, students and parents are invited to come view student’s artwork on display. Members of the Deer Path Art League will be on site, near the fountain in Market Square to welcome viewers, hand out school location/store maps, and have a photo scavenger hunt for children to explore the many artworks found within the Square. Additionally, ribbon winners will have the opportunity to pick up their Mayoral Award invitation from the Deer Path Art League welcome table. Left Bank will be joining us with hot food and cold beverages for purchase. 3 ribbons are awarded to students from each of the participating schools for artwork the Deer Path Art League feels are outstanding. Visit our Facebook page to view this event here: Facebook

The Deer Path Art League sincerely thanks Market Square, the stores of Market Square, the teachers at our schools, and the City of Lake Forest; for their willingness to participate in such a meaningful and impactful exhibition.

Important Dates:

• Artwork will be installed during the 1st week of April 2025.
• The Emerging Artists Opening Reception will be held in Market Square on April 6th from 1:00pm – 3:00pm – the exhibition can be publicly viewed anytime simply by walking through Market Square.
• The show will remain on display until the end of April 2025.
• Mayoral Awards for ribbon winners will take place before the City Council Meeting on May 19th at 6:30pm located at Lake Forest City Hall.

FAQ & Information

Who decides what art pieces are included in the Emerging Artists Show? Which schools are involved? Artwork is chosen by each school’s art teacher and is limited to about 10 pieces per school. Each year, the Deer Path Art League does its absolute best to reach all public and private schools within the Lake Bluff and Lake Forest districts. We are passionate about promoting inclusion and want to make sure every school who wishes to participate, is given a space. On occasion, a school may choose not to participate, and we respect their decision. Emerging Artists is not a requirement, and we trust the teacher is doing what is best for his/her class. If you are a school that has not been contacted, please email: info@deerpathartleague.org and we will make sure your school is included.

How are the ribbons awarded and are they based on 1st, 2nd, or 3rd places? Ribbon winners are chosen by members of the Deer Path Art League who have long time experience as artists and/or curators. Ages, grade levels and artistic skills are all considered when choosing ribbon winners. Due to the multiple grade levels found in each school, the Deer Path Art League has chosen to forego any 1st, 2nd, or 3rd places and award ribbons based on artistic merit.

Will there be any awards or ceremonies during the Opening Reception? Who is invited? The Emerging Artists Opening Reception is a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate creative students who have an interest in the Arts. This reception is open to the public and all are welcome to attend. No awards or ceremonies will be held at the opening reception, but ribbon winners are welcome to stop by the Deer Path Reception Table located near the fountain to pick up their invitation. The Deer Path Art League will also be on hand to welcome visitors, hand out maps, and provide a fun photo scavenger hunt.

How will I know who the ribbon winners are? Ribbons are prominently and clearly displayed with the artwork as the show is installed. Ribbon winners will receive an invitation to the Mayoral Awards which can be picked up during the Opening Reception. Any invitations that are not picked up will be delivered to their respective school to be distributed by teachers.

When will maps be available? How will I know which school is where? Due to the curating process of the show, maps cannot be made before the artwork is installed. With well over 100 pieces of artwork and multiple schools and stores, it’s not possible to predict where each school will be displayed or how much space is available at each store. As soon as the installation is complete, a map will be created and posted on this webpage. Each year, Lululemon graciously lends their window space so a large vinyl map can be installed, shortly after the show’s curation. The installation of the vinyl map is dependent upon weather conditions, also making this installation date unpredictable.

Past Emerging Artists Exhibition Photos