Sonic’s official Instagram account shared a ten-frame tour of the exhibition on September 4, including eight photographs of artwork hanging inside 210 Gallery. The selection ranges from densely illustrated landscapes and graphic character pieces to Super Sonic floating above a planet, a painterly Eggman scene, a Rouge portrait, a monochrome Sonic study and a red-and-cyan Metal Sonic poster.
The official carousel only scratches the surface. Cat With Monocle’s much larger on-site gallery shows how broad the exhibition really is, with commissioned artwork displayed alongside the fan submissions selected earlier this summer and material pulled from SEGA’s own archives.
Among the commissioned artists represented is Nuri Durr, who has several pieces on display. His “Welcome to the Next Level” illustration shows Super Sonic suspended above a blue planet and was exhibited both as original marker artwork and as a limited-edition print. Durr also contributed a larger anniversary ensemble bringing together characters and imagery from across Sonic’s history, while another piece titled “Greetings from South Island” takes the form of a postcard-style illustration.
The fan-art side of the exhibition is much larger than the handful of submissions shown during the original campaign as well. A full-wall photograph shared by Frack shows more than a dozen selected pieces displayed together across a wide range of styles and subjects.
The physical pieces go beyond conventional framed illustrations. The on-site photography also documents textile artwork featuring Sonic, Amy and Knuckles, translucent Chao-like sculptures, miniature dioramas and a raised landscape piece featuring Shadow, Amy and Silver. Where the individual plaques cannot be read clearly, we are leaving those works unattributed rather than trying to guess the artists behind them.
SEGA’s archival section is similarly broader than the material highlighted when the exhibition was announced. Alongside the already familiar Metal Sonic development artwork are annotated Amy Rose model sheets, international packaging layouts and even an N-Gage package dieline, giving the historical side of the gallery a nice mixture of character production material and physical game packaging.
The exhibition also received a visit from someone who helped build that history in the first place.
Hirokazu Yasuhara, one of the original designers behind Sonic the Hedgehog and a key figure in the early Sonic Team, attended the Seattle exhibition and shared a photograph from inside the gallery. Sonic Stadium also highlighted his appearance in its opening-weekend coverage.
Yasuhara later clarified that none of his own doodles were part of the exhibition, so the game packaging shown beside him should not be mistaken for his personal artwork. He was simply visiting a gallery containing material from games he helped create.
The Seattle edition of 35 Years of Speed remains open at 210 Gallery through September 6, after which the exhibition will move to ARK/8 in Los Angeles on September 26 and 27. The original event announcement advertised work from more than 30 artists and historical material from SEGA’s archives.
With the doors now open, we can finally see how much variety sits behind that description. The finished exhibition mixes professional commissions, community work, sculptures, textiles, game-production material and packaging history into something much closer to a physical snapshot of Sonic’s entire 35-year run than a conventional anniversary art show.
SEGA and iam8bit have announced 35 Years of Speed: The Sonic Art Exhibit, a pair of special exhibitions celebrating Sonic the Hedgehog’s 35th anniversary through artwork inspired by the franchise’s history.
The exhibitions will feature original works from more than 30 renowned artists, with each creator reimagining memorable characters, worlds, moments, and personal memories from across Sonic’s 35-year history.
Historical artwork from SEGA’s archives will also be displayed, bringing pieces from Sonic’s past together with new interpretations created for the anniversary celebration.
The first exhibition will take place during PAX West weekend in Seattle from September 4 through September 6, 2026. It will be open daily from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM PT at 210 Gallery, located at 301 Occidental Avenue South, Seattle, Washington.
A second exhibition will follow in Los Angeles from September 26 through September 27, 2026. The Los Angeles event will also run from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM PT and will be held at ARK/8, located at 115 South La Brea Avenue.
Alongside the exhibitions, SEGA and iam8bit have launched The Sonic Fan Art Showcase, inviting artists and fans from around the world to contribute to a community-built visual celebration of the Sonic universe.
Participants are encouraged to reimagine iconic moments, characters, locations, stories, and memories from across Sonic’s history. Submissions are open to all regions through the official showcase website: https://sonic35.iam8bit.com
The submission period runs from July 8, 2026 at 9:00 AM PT through August 3, 2026 at 8:59 AM PT.
Entries will be evaluated evenly across four categories:
- Theme Adherence: 25%
- Creativity and Originality: 25%
- Technique and Execution: 25%
- Visual and Emotional Impact: 25%
Standout submissions will be selected for a “best of” visual showcase appearing through SEGA’s official website and social media channels. A smaller selection of fan artwork will also be displayed physically at the 35 Years of Speed exhibitions in Seattle and Los Angeles.
Artists must be at least 18 years old to submit. The submission agreement also states that artwork must be created without the use or assistance of artificial intelligence, including generative AI tools such as Stable Diffusion, Flux, and DALL-E.
Submissions are voluntary and will not receive payment, royalties, or other compensation. Artists whose work is selected for the exhibition will be notified and credited for their submission.
By entering, artists grant iam8bit permission to use and modify their artwork in connection with the exhibition and its promotion, documentation, and archival. The agreement also grants SEGA and its partners a perpetual worldwide license to use, modify, reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works from submitted artwork without additional compensation.
Submitted work must be original and must not infringe the intellectual property, privacy, publicity, or other rights of third parties. iam8bit and SEGA may also reject or remove any submission at their discretion.
The Sonic Fan Art Showcase gives artists an opportunity to become part of Sonic’s 35th anniversary celebrations while showing how the character’s worlds and stories have inspired generations of fans across different countries, cultures, and creative styles.
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