Press Release: Announcing the 2025 Tidal Shift Award Winners
For Immediate Release: July 8, 2025
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The Portland Museum of Art (PMA) is proud to announce the 2025 winners of the Tidal Shift Award, the national youth art prize recognizing young artists who engage with the climate crisis through creative expression.
Open to artists ages 14 to 22 living east of the Mississippi River, the Tidal Shift Award invites young people to reflect on climate change and its impact on their communities. Submissions are accepted in all mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, video, and works on paper.
“Art has this incredible way of helping people feel the urgency of needing to address climate change,” said juror David Reidmiller, PhD, Chief Impact Officer & Senior Vice President for Community Resilience at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. “These young artists aren’t just raising awareness; they’re sparking real conversations and motivating people to act, all through their creativity and courage.”
Winners were selected by a jury of artists, scientists, educators, designers, and advocates, each bringing a unique perspective to evaluating the bold and thoughtful responses submitted by hundreds of youth artists.
Winners were selected by a jury of artists, scientists, educators, designers, and advocates, each bringing a unique perspective to evaluating the bold and thoughtful responses submitted by hundreds of youth artists.
Tidal Shift Award Ceremony
The 2025 Tidal Shift Award winners will be honored during a public ceremony on Wednesday, July 17 at 5 p.m. at the Portland Museum of Art. This free, community celebration invites visitors of all ages to meet the artists, view their award-winning work, and hear directly from some of the young climate leaders shaping the future through art. No registration required—everyone is welcome.
“Live Updates”
Painting: Acrylic paint
“Altered Interactions”
Alternative/New Media: Fabric, thread, and batting
“Ebb of Color”
Sculpture & Mixed Media: Toilet paper, crafting wire, plastic wrap, air-dry clay, tinfoil, liquid glue, acrylic paint, white spray paint, coffee filters, styrofoam, seashells, egg cartons, pearls, Q-tips, toothpicks, headband, yarn, watercolor.
Division II: Ages 19–22
“Entangled Rights”
Sculpture & Mixed Media: Discarded fishing gear, plywood, and found objects from the beach
“Domestic Spaces of Ecological Anxiety: Models of Speculative Architecture”
Sculpture & Mixed Media: 3D-printed PLA treated with spackle and primer, coated with textured desert bisque spray paint; silica balls on a wooden container
“Global Warning”
Painting: Oil paint
About the Tidal Shift Award
Since its launch in 2022, the Tidal Shift Award has seen rapid growth. In 2025, nearly 1,000 submissions were received from East of the Mississippi (26 states).
The award welcomes artists from both rural and urban communities across Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and all Native and Indigenous nations therein.
Educators have played a critical role in integrating the award into classrooms. Many submissions in 2025 were generated through school-based projects, supported by PMA-led workshops and resources.
A Partnership for Climate Action
The Tidal Shift Award is a collaboration between the Portland Museum of Art and King Philanthropies.
Founded by Bob and Dottie King in 2016, King Philanthropies supports scalable solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve economic outcomes for people living in extreme poverty. Their mission aligns with the PMA’s commitment to sustainability and its Art for All vision, which centers environmental responsibility and inclusive cultural leadership.
About the Jury
The 2025 jury reflects a wide range of expertise in climate, culture, and community:
Samaa Abdurraqib, PhD – Associate Director of the Maine Humanities Council and leader with Outdoor Afro, reconnecting Black communities with nature and each other through the outdoors.
Sophie Davis – Founding member and Artistic Director of Halcyon, a Maine-based musician’s collective that uses the arts to raise awareness of climate change.
Darren Ranco, PhD – Chair of Native American Programs at the University of Maine and member of the Penobscot Nation. Ranco has worked extensively to protect Wabanaki cultural heritage and advance research collaboration with Tribal Nations.
David Reidmiller, PhD – Chief Impact Officer and Senior Vice President for Community Resilience at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, where he leads regional efforts to increase climate resilience and community action.
Chandra Robinson – Principal at LEVER Architecture in Portland, Oregon. With over a decade of experience designing inclusive spaces, she also led the development of the largest mass timber building in the U.S.
Support and Acknowledgments
The Tidal Shift Award is made possible through generous support from King Philanthropies, which also funds the PMA’s broader sustainability initiatives.
The Portland Museum of Art is committed to environmental responsibility and the thoughtful stewardship of Earth’s resources in all areas of its work.
Individual Support:
Ed and Sarah Baker
Anne and Alexander Buck
Thomas and Kate Cheney Chappell
Eileen Gillespie and Timothy Fahey
Cyrus Hagge
Alison Hildreth
Douglas and Sharyn Howell
Christopher and Elizabeth Hunt
Bree LaCasse and Chris Moore
Karen L. McDonald
Manny Morgan, in loving memory of Chris Corbett
Robert and Jill Nesher
Patricia O’Carroll and Joseph Foley
Amy Woodhouse and Tobey Scott
Foundation Support:
Anonymous
Corporate Support:
About the Portland Museum of Art
The Portland Museum of Art, located blocks from the working waterfront in Maine's largest city, seeks to tell multifaceted stories through art. Showcasing significant holdings of American, European, and contemporary art, as well as iconic works from Maine—the extensive collection highlights the rich artistic tradition of the state and its artists. Free school tours, family activities, curator talks, and tours of the Winslow Homer Studio—it's all happening at the PMA.
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