The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) will open the INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition in its Herb + Milly Iris Gallery on May 14, 2026, with a free public reception at 5:00 PM. Over 300 students from 20 area high schools submitted more than 1,000 original works across media including photography, digital art, painting, drawing, sculpture, fiber arts, and ceramics; 70 pieces were selected for the exhibition. The show is sponsored by the Iris Family Foundation and features professional installation, a formal reception, and opportunities for students to sell their work.
This exhibition matters because it provides young artists with their first professional gallery experience, fulfilling SOPAC's Arts in Education mission and honoring the legacy of namesake Milly Iris. By treating student work with the same seriousness as a professional exhibition—juried selection, installation, and public display—the program affirms that arts education is essential, not supplementary, and builds a pipeline for emerging visual talent in the region.