Opening reception:
Thursday, May 30 from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Public Vote for Best-In-Show:
May 30 – June 30 at 5:00 p.m.
Winners announced July 2 at 2:00 p.m.
A First For The Hearst!
Challenge yourself with a big idea - made tiny!
This art competition and exhibition presents a unique opportunity for artists in Iowa to conceptualize an artwork with specific size requirements, using fine art mediums and techniques, and exhibit it for free to the public. No entry fee, one submission per person, and everyone who enters will have their piece on display. There will be two Best-In-Show prizes awarded, one determined by a jury vote comprised of art experts in the Cedar Valley, and one winner determined by popular vote.
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See below for official competition rules & regulations, FAQ's and our entry form.
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How Tiny Must My Artwork Be?
Artwork can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Each artwork submission must fit into our approved Hearst tiny art containers, one free container will be issued to each interested applicant. Official tiny art containers can be obtained in person at the Hearst Center for the Arts, 304 W. Seerley Boulevard, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. If you would like one of our tiny art containers mailed to you, please email the Hearst Center at the.hearst@cedarfalls.com to make arrangements. You are not required to decorate your tiny art container, and any container augmentation or decoration will not count when judging your submission. However, if you wish to personalize your container for fun, go for it!
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INTERNAL dimensions of the tiny art containers are 4.7 cm (width of long edge), 2.7 cm (width of short edge), and 3.0 cm (height including both base AND lid closed). Artwork submissions cannot exceed this size (actual 2D measurement shown on right):
4.7cm x 2.7cm for 2D artworks; or
4.7cm x 2.7cm x 3cm for 3D objects.
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More Competition FAQs can be found in our Rules and Regulations Document
Click on the button below to view & download!
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FREE! Tiny Art Open Studio Feedback Sessions!
Need help or inspiration? To provide prospective applicants with the Hearst's available resources and feedback from expert artists, the Hearst is providing FREE sessions during the month of April.
Register online via Civic Rec listed in the Hearst Classes & Workshops section under 'Hearst Free Programs' for the sessions listed below.
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Session 1: Saturday, April 6 from 2:00-4:00 pm. with Kyle Kirwan.
Kyle studied fine art at The University of California and is currently working out of his studio at Mainframe in Des Moines. He creates art and designer toys and whimsical sculptures. Check out his artwork via his website.
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Session 2: Saturday, April 13 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. with Anna Segner
Anna is the drawing professor at Iowa State University. Her work is focused in painting, mixed media and assemblage. In her practice, Anna incorporates critical animal studies and other research to question the human act of “toying” with animals and nature. Check out her artwork via her website.
Session 3: Tuesday, April 23 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. with Nate Gainer
Nate is a local artist working in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He combines his love for drawing and painting with his work as a dental laboratory technician by making "tooth tattoos," which are permanent miniature paintings on crowns. Nate works in a variety of media including sculpture, digital, and traditional drawing mediums. He is passionate about native gardening and works from his home studio along with his wife, exhibiting at booths across Iowa under the name "Magpie Makers."
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Session 4: Tuesday, April 30 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. with Junli Song
Junli completed her MFA at the University of Arkansas with a concentration in printmaking in 2023, and is the current Grant Wood Fellow in printmaking at the University of Iowa. As an artist and storyteller, she works across a range of media from printmaking and painting to sculpture and animation to explore imagined worlds and personal mythologies. Check out her artwork via her website.
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Thanks to our sponsors at Arts Midwest and Friends of the Hearst for making these free workshops possible for participants!