According to the Meridian Star, the Meridian Museum of Art celebrated the opening of its 52nd Annual Bi-State Exhibition with a reception and awards ceremony honoring outstanding artists from Mississippi and Alabama.

The 2026 edition attracted a record 319 entries — the largest number executive director Kate Cherry says she has seen in her 18 years leading the museum, which she attributes to continued artistic talent across the region.

Juror James Ehlers of Baylor University in Waco, Texas, selected 81 works by 75 artists from that pool, an acceptance rate of roughly 25 percent.

The Meridian Star reports that Starkville artists dominated the top honors: Jacob Crook took Best of Show with 'Undefeated,' and Marita Gootee earned Highest Distinction for 'Magnolia.'

Nate Thiesen of Jackson won Distinction for 'Chromatophoric,' Nancy VanDevender of Meridian took Highest Achievement for 'From the First Glance, 2025,' Rosanne McKenney of Biloxi won Achievement for 'Her Mother's Kitchen,' Melanie Eubanks of Hattiesburg earned Highest Merit for 'Circulation,' and Rebekah Stark Johnson of Hattiesburg took Merit for 'For All My Sorrows.'

The exhibition, per the Meridian Star, is funded through artists' entry fees and the Alliance Health Endowment through the Community Foundation of East Mississippi, with Sharon Busler supporting the Charlie Busler Memorial Award.

The Meridian Star writes that the Bi-State Exhibition gives artists a chance to share their work with the public while celebrating the diversity and quality of contemporary art across Mississippi and Alabama, and has become an important tradition for the museum and the regional arts community.

A roughly 25 percent acceptance rate means three out of every four entrants were turned away this year — a level of selectivity that underscores how crowded the field has become.

The museum says the exhibition continues its longstanding commitment to presenting regional artists and letting the community experience and appreciate the visual arts firsthand.

Clarksville Online reports that in neighboring Tennessee, Austin Peay State University's Department of Art + Design will present ROOTED+RISING from October 30 to January 7 at the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center, with a November 7 reception.

Curated by Professor Paul Collins and student interns Emily Crosby and Sabrina Sanford, the show pairs exemplary APSU students with faculty and lets student artists take part in every stage of a professionally curated museum exhibition, from installation to press outreach.

'Every time you see someone involved with the show, what you get is pure encouragement,' Sanford told Clarksville Online. The department, established in 1927 and accredited by NASAD, serves roughly 350 students with 19 full-time faculty.