Minnesota Historical Society Calls for Split Rock Lighthouse Art Submissions

A November 1905 gale on Lake Superior wrecked nearly 30 ships and prompted the US Lighthouse Service to build Split Rock Lighthouse. Completed in 1910, this beacon near Two Harbors steered ships clear of the rugged landscape of Minnesota's North Shore for nearly 60 years.

Today, Split Rock is one of the most iconic locations in Minnesota, a museum and the centerpiece of a state park.

Each November 10th, the beam at Split Rock is lit in memory of the crew of the iron ore carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald which sank in a November gale on Lake Superior on 10 November 1975. All 29 men aboard The Fitz died. The lighting also memorializes all the other ships who've gone down on Superior over the years.

The landmark is beautiful, powerful and moving.

The Minnesota Historical Society manages Split Rock Lighthouse. And it's hosting a contest to capture the beauty -- the majesty -- of this piece of Minnesota and Great Lakes history.

The Historical Society is accepting submissions from photographers and other artists for a rotating exhibit for the 2025 season to be called "Photography & Art at the Rock."

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Eight pieces of art will be rotated throughout the year in the lobby of the Split Rock Lighthouse Visitor's Center.

The Minnesota Historical Society will accept photographs and two-dimensional art forms "such as drawings, paintings, prints, and photographs. Art created by pencil, charcoal, ink, watercolors, and oil paints will be considered. All photographs must be created by the photographer. Digital and film are acceptable. AI-generated images will not be accepted."

In addition, the artwork must be able to hang on a wall and reflect a "north woods aesthetic."

Eight artists will be selected this year for the exhibit. Winning entries will be announced in January.