Young artists take the gallery at the Youth Art Contest at the Border
City Leaders at the Youth Art Contest at the Border in support of our young community members, young artist participating in such event.
Calexico Now · September 30, 2026 · Carmen Durazo Cultural Arts Center
Calexico’s young artists filled the Carmen Durazo Cultural Arts Center this week for the opening of the Youth Art Contest at the Border, a binational exhibition that put Imperial Valley and Mexicali talent on the same walls.
Mayor Victor Legaspi and Council Member Adriana Marquez attended the reception and thanked the team that built the night. They credited Recreation Manager Norma Gerardo and her staff for organizing the contest and, more than that, for giving young people a place to show their work.
“A special thank you to all of the talented artists who proudly displayed their work. Your creativity and dedication are a reminder of the incredible talent we have right here in Calexico and throughout the Imperial Valley.”
A border show, built in Calexico
The contest was organized by the Calexico Recreation Department with the Elias-Fontes Art Collection, the Calexico Arts Council, and the Carmen Durazo Cultural Arts Center. The California Arts Council provided part of the support. Opening night was Tuesday, September 29, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 421 Heffernan Avenue. Admission was free.
The summer call went to young artists living in the Imperial Valley or Mexicali. Work had to be original and completed between June 2025 and August 2026, in painting, sculpture, drawing, or photography, with up to three pieces per artist. A jury of art professionals selected what hung in the show.
Local coverage of the opening reported a strong response from both sides of the border. More than 70 young artists from Calexico and Mexicali took part. Organizers received 157 submissions. The exhibition presents 65 works by 41 artists, including graffiti-inspired painting, anime imagery, wearable pieces, and masks. The work draws on life in this border region.
First cash awards for the winners
This year’s contest included cash awards for the first time. City announcements listed two first-place prizes of $400, two second-place prizes of $250, two third-place prizes of $100, and honorable mentions at the jury’s discretion. The prize funds came from the Calexico Arts Council and the Elias-Fontes Art Collection.
For emerging artists, the check matters. So does the room. A juried show at the city’s cultural arts center is a public record that the work was seen, judged, and worth hanging.
Why the Recreation Department is in the middle of it
Marquez and Legaspi used the night to make a larger point: programs like this are the case for keeping the Recreation Department funded and staffed. The contest took registration, drop-off days, a jury, installation, an awards ceremony, and a staff willing to treat youth art as a civic event rather than an extra.
Supporting the arts, investing in young people, and opening a door for talent already living here is how a border city builds something that lasts. The walls at Carmen Durazo this week are the proof.
