NEW CANAAN — This year’s “Art of the Northeast,” on view at Silvermine Arts Center until July 26, brings a new twist: for the first time in decades, the show is co-curated.

Michelle Grabner and Brad Killam — both of whom are artists, critics, and teachers — are the first co-curators as well as the first husband-and-wife team to curate the 65-year-old exhibition.

Ms Grabner, a professor in the Painting and Drawing Department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, was also one of three curators of the 2014 Whitney Biennial and its first artist curator. Mr Killam teaches art at the College of DuPage in Illinois and has exhibited his work widely. His essays have appeared in national and international journals.

The couple has often collaborated on works of art and are equally known for the two artist project spaces they established: “The Suburban” (established 1999), located in the backyard of their home in Oak Park, Ill.; and “The Poor Farm” in Waupaca County, Wis., established in 2009 on the site of a 19th Century county poor farm. Both places allow artists freedom to experiment, an idea that is echoed in the selection of work for this year’s “Art of the Northeast.”

With nearly 500 artists submitting to this show — from Maine to Washington, DC — the co-curators had a lot of great work to look through. Silvermine Gallery Director Jeffrey Mueller also noted a healthy showing from MFA programs. In the finalist category, the curators selected 84 works by 63 artists, including a trio of vessels by Newtown resident and Silvermine member Joan Zagrobelny.

Gwen North Reiss, publicity manager for Silvermine Arts Center, says Ms Zagrobelny’s new works are “spectacular.”

“Joan builds her ceramic pieces by hand, leaving prints of her fingers visible on the finished surface, and she often fires them many times until she gets the color, depth, and texture just right,” said Ms North Reiss.

 Begun in 1949 as “The New England Exhibition,” the competition was founded by Silvermine Guild members Miriam Brody and Revington Arthur to showcase the art of the region. All of the galleries at the arts center are utilized for this prestigious exhibition, which is the focal point of the center’s calendar.

Over the years, the exhibit has presented works by emerging and midcareer artists, giving them a platform to reach a much larger audience than ever before. The winner receives a top prize of $3,000 and a solo exhibition at Silvermine.

This year’s “Art of the Northeast” award winners are:

*Best in Show: Barry Kiperman of Boston for “Of Rhetoric and Reason 2,” acrylic paint, graphite leads, and ¼-inch plywood (39” x 59”);

*Prutting & Company Custom Builders Award for Painting: Ashley Norwood Cooper; Cooperstown, N.Y., for “Late Night Conversation,” oil on board (30” x 30”);

*Mollie & Albert Jacobson Award for Sculpture: James Mulvaney, Mahopac, N.Y., for untitled, dimensional lumber and latex paint (120” x 103” x 64”);

*Carole Eisner Award for Sculpture: James Buxton, Farmington, for “Free Spirit of Recycling,” painted wood (36” x 52” x 56”);

*The Stephen Madwed Memorial Prize for Photography: Alexandra Galiardo, New York City, for “Illusions/Allusions 8,” photograph (24” x 36”);

*Andy & Marsha Glazer Honorable Mention: Cecilia Charlton, New York City, for “Apple II,” acrylic paint on canvas (48” x 48”); and

*Jerry’s Artarama Honorable Mention: Bryan Reedy, New York City, for “Grand Prix IV,” linen on custom stretcher (33” x 41”).

Silvermine Galleries are open Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5 pm; and Sunday, 1 to 5 pm.

On Tuesday, June 23, Silvermine will host an artist talk at 6 pm. For more information, call 203-966-9700 or visit silvermineart.org.