Staff photos / Andy Gray The 89th National Midyear opens Sunday at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown.

The 89th National Midyear Exhibition opens Sunday at the Butler Institute of American Art.

Chief Curator Liz Hicks described the juried show as ever evolving.

New ideas are tried and old ideas are brought back.

“The show is such a spectacular display of talent and brings so many people together,” Hicks said.

“I personally think it’s one of the most important shows we have every year.”

One of the old ideas being brought back this year is inviting select artists to display a few examples of their work.

At one time, the Midyear included as many as 15 invited artists.

This year’s invitees are Nancy Hawkins of Columbiana and Christopher Leeper of Canfield.

“The beauty in their landscapes reflect the beauty of the Mahoning Valley and the park system here,” Hicks said. “We feel those two artists in particular capture the beauty of this region.”

This year’s juror is Butler Director Emeritus Louis A. Zona, who served as executive director and chief curator for more than 40 years.

The 89th Midyear features 84 works by 79 artists from 15 states that were chosen from a submission pool of 829 pieces submitted by 320 artists from 28 states.

Award winners will be announced during Sunday’s opening reception at 2 p.m. Hicks said for the first time the Midyear will include two directors’ awards — one selected by Zona and one by Interim Director Larry Jones, whose final day in that position is Friday.

The Butler’s new director, Anastasia James, starts her tenure next week.

However, the artists will have to wait beyond Sunday to find out who receives the Midyear’s biggest prize — a solo exhibition at the museum in 2027.

The Midyear, which used to be an annual show, now happens every other year, and the alternating year features a show by a Midyear artist.

“The top prize is not chosen until after the opening because part of that is we have to do further review of the work that comes in and body of work the artists have,” Hicks said. “Hopefully, the artists who are in the running can come to the event and to the committee, which is made up of people who work here. We have to be sure they are capable of filling an entire gallery and make sure they can commit to the timing of the show.”

That artist will be announced when the Midyear closes on Aug. 30.

Artists pay a fee to submit their work for consideration for the Midyear, but Hicks stressed that those fees cover the expenses involved in mounting the show.

Between the solo exhibition and the other awards, more than $10,000 is distributed to the winning artists.

The rest of the money goes into the catalog, promotional materials and the opening reception.

Hicks is hoping the fact that the reception is happening at the same time as the second day of Youngstown State University’s Summer Festival of the Arts will bring additional visitors to the Midyear.

“We’re excited about that,” Hicks said.

“If it goes well, we might try to coincide with that every time.”

If you go …

WHAT: 89th National Midyear Exhibition

WHEN: Sunday through Aug. 30 with opening reception from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday and awards announcement at 2 p.m. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

WHERE: Butler Institute of American Art, 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Admission is free. For more information, go to www.butlerart.com and 330-743-1107.