ATHENS, GA.- The Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia recently received five awards from the Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC). The awards were presented at the SEMC Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon on September 30, 2026, in Winston Salem, North Carolina. The museum will also be featured in the Winter 2026 Edition of “Inside SEMC.”
In the Exhibition Competition, the museum received a gold award in the over $25,000 budget category for “We, Too, Are Made of Wonders.” Organized by Ciel Rodriquez, curatorial assistant in contemporary art, and inspired by Ada Limn’s poem “In Praise of Mystery,” the exhibition featured historic, modern and contemporary art from the museum’s collection focusing on awe, wonder and the night sky.
The Exhibition Competition recognizes exhibitions for overall excellence or for stretching the limits of content and design through innovation. Winning entries were well-designed exhibitions of merit with educational value and demonstrated respectful treatment of objects. Recipients of the awards were judged by an appointed jury of museum professionals across the region who specialize in curatorial studies and exhibition design.
In the Technology Competition, the museum received two awards: a gold award for Virtual Media: Project Budget Over $10,000 for its website redesign (by Lifted Logic) and a silver award for Virtual Media: Project Budget Under $1,000 for its Bloomberg Connects digital guide, which helps guide visitors through the galleries and gives them insight into the artworks.
As technology continues to gain importance throughout the museum field, expectations and standards were exceptionally high for this year’s applicants. The 2026 SEMC Technology Competition received a record number of applications from a wide variety of museums across the Southeast. Winning entries were expected to demonstrate innovation, effective design, accessibility, creativity and recognition of institutional identity. Recipients of the awards were judged by an appointed jury of museum professionals across the region who specialize in the fields of digital media and technology.
Lastly, the museum received two awards in the Publication Design Competition: a gold award for its “Brilliant Exiles” passport in the Gallery Guide category and a bronze Award for its Facet newsletter. Both publications were designed by the museum’s graphic designer, Noelle Shuck.
The SEMC Publication Design Competition recognizes and rewards excellence in graphic design in southeastern museum publications. The competition encourages communication, effective design, creativity and pride in work and recognition of institutional image and identity. Recipients of the awards were judged by an appointed jury of museum professionals across the region who specialize in graphic design.
The Southeastern Museums Conference, a nonprofit membership organization, is an association of museums, museum staff, independent professionals and corporate partners. SEMC is dedicated to providing a safe, inclusive, and welcoming conference experience for everyone.
