Art Competitions and Exhibitions

Elementary Level Art Contests / Exhibitions

  • Armed Services YMCA – (Annual) Art contest allowing children to show their appreciation to military personnel. Winning art is put on display and winner recieves Apple products. Grades K – 6 but must be children of active or retired service members. (Deadline:  New contest information will be available November 2015)
  • Institute for Global Environmental Studies – (Annual) Creating posters for Earth and Space studies. A new theme is announced each year. Grades 2 – 4 (Deadline:  Nov. 14, 2014, nothing for 2015 yet)

Middle School/Jr. High Level Art Contests / Exhibitions

  • Decide to Drive Poster Design Contest – Promoting driver awareness. Sponsored by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Grades 5 – 8. (no new contest listed)
  • Earth Science Week Contests – 2015 theme “Picturing Earth Systems”. Winner receives $300 cash and a copy of AGI’s The Geoscience Handbook. Grades K-5. (Deadline:  October 16, 2015)
  • Scholastic and Writing Awards – (Annual) National competition with many regional opportunities. Approx. $250,000 in scholarships awarded each year. Grades 7 – 12 (Next applications Fall 2015)

High School Level Art Contests / Exhibitions

  • Against the Grain Artistic Scholarship – (Annual) $1000 scholarship awarded to Asian Americans. Grade 12 and college. (Deadline:  April 15, 2015)
  • Congressional Art Competition – (Annual) Members of Congress hold contests within their districts to choose winning pieces of art by high school students. District winners are then submitted to the national level. Grades 9 – 12 (Local, Seventh Congressional District of NJ, Deadline: April 3, 2015)
  • Gallery Collection – Create a Greeting Card Contest – (Annual) $10,000 Scholarship awarded. Grades 9 – 12 and college students. (Deadline:  February 18, 2015.)
  • National YoungArts Foundation – (Annual) Up to $10K in cash prizes. Grades 10 – 12. (Deadline:  October 16, 2015)
  • RotoArt International High School Contest – (Biannual/International) High school contest sponsored by the Rotary Club.  Grades 9 – College. (Next competition 2016)
  • Scholastic and Writing Awards – (Annual) National competition with many regional opportunities. Approx. $250,000 in scholarships awarded each year. Grades 7 – 12. (Next applications Fall 2015)
  • Science without Borders® Challenge – (Annual/International) This years competition is sponsored by Living Oceans Foundation and it’s theme is “Reef Relationships”. Winners will receive scholarships for $200-$500. 11 – 19 year olds. (Deadline:  April 27, 2015)
  • Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest – (Annual) Sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Scholarship awards of $500-$10,000. Grades 9 – 12. (Deadline:  March 31, 2015)
  • Wallpops Scholarship for the Arts– (Annual) Sponsored by Wall Pops! Wall Décor. Scholarship award of $1000. Grades 9 – 12 (Deadline:  May 22, 2015)

K-12 Art Contests / Exhibitions

  • California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife – (Annual) 2015 Invasive Species Action Week, Youth Art Contest. Theme for 2015 is “Don’t be a vector! Be a protector!”. Illustrate what you can do to protect California’s natural resources. Grades 2 – 12. (Deadline:  May 27, 2015.)
  • Celebrating Art – (Several times annually) Over $5000 in prizes go to students and teachers for each contest as well as inclusion in their hard bound art book. Grades K – 12. (Deadline:  August 22, 2015 and December 3, 2015)
  • Constitution Day Poster Contest – (Annual) Sponsored by the National Archives. $100 cash awarded. Grades K – 12.  (Deadline:  October 1, 2015)
  • Doodle 4 Google – (Annual/International) Have your banner image used by Google. $5,000-$30,000 scholarships awarded. Grades K – 12. (Deadline:  Fall 2015)
  • Environmental Children’s Drawing Contest – (Annual/International)  2015 Theme “Voices of the Earth”. Ages 7 – 15. (Deadline:  May 29, 2015)
  • Get to Know Contest  – (Annual) Create a work of art inspired by nature. Winner receives an assortment of art supplies. Ages 19 and under. (Deadline:  November 1, 2015)
  • Global Education First – (Annual/International) Sponsored by the United Nations. 2015 Campaign “#DrawDisability Campaign” Reflecting on the lives of Persons with Disabilities through drawing. All ages. (Deadline:  to be included in exhibition – April 1, 2015, Final Deadline – July 15, 2015)
  • National Junior Duck Stamp Competition – (Annual) Sponsored by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Scholarships awarded $200-$1000. Grades K – 12 (Deadline:  March 15, 2015)
  • Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Competition – (Annual) Sponsored by the United States Evironmental Protection Agency. Create art expressing the wonder of our natural environment. Entries must be from an intergenerational team of two or more persons. A younger and an older person.  (Deadline:  TBD)
  • Radiant Peace Education Awards – (Annual) Winners and honorable mentions receive cash prizes. The winner’s classrooms receive awards. Grades 1 – 12. (Deadline:  April 14, 2015)
  • River of Words – (Annual/International) Sponsored by Saint Mary’s College of CA, Center for Environmental Literacy. Art and Poetry contest promoting the environment and nature. Ages 5 – 19. (Deadline:  December 1, 2015)
  • Saatchi Online Art Prize For Schools – (Annual/International) A first prize of £10,000 will be awarded to the winning school’s art department. A further £2000 will be given to the winning pupil to be spent on computer and art equipment. Ages 4 – 18. (Deadline:  Fall 2015)
  • Save the Frogs Art Contest  – (Annual/International) Create a piece of art featuring frogs. Cash prize $100. All ages. (Deadline: April 1, 2015 to October 1, 2015)
  • State-fish Art Contest – (Annual) Illustration and essay competition of state fish. Grades K-12. (Deadline:  March 31, 2015)
  • Wyland National Foundation – (Annual) Theme for 2015 “Water is Life – Our Coast and Climate”. Open to grades K – 12. Winner receives a gift certificate for art supplies. (Deadline:  Nov. 25, 2015)

Art Contests / Exhibitions For Anyone

  • Acrylic Works – (Annual) Theme for 2015 is “Celebrating Texture”. Winners work will be published in North Light Book’s Showcase book. (Deadline:  March 20, 2015)
  • All Media Competition – (Annual). Can enter for 8 different media categories. Winners work will be published in The Artist’s Magazine and cash prizes of $100-$500 will be awarded.  (Deadline:  November 24, 2014. New deadline TBD)
  • Art Moves Billboard Art Competition – (Annual/International) 2015 topic “What Has Real Value? Can Money Buy Everything”. $1,377 in cash awarded. Top 10 works will be displayed as billboards during the Art Moves Festival in September/October 2015 in Torun, Poland. Open to all ages. (Deadline:  July 22, 2015)
  • Artists Magazine Annual Art Competition – (Annual) Win up to $2500 and publication in their magazine. (Early bird deadline:  April 1, 2015. Deadline:  May 1, 2015)
  • • Mystery Build $15k Art Challenge – *Create a work of art using only the materials in a Mystery Build Kit. Cash prizes but must purchase kit for $49.95 to participate. All ages. (Deadline:  October 20, 2015)
  • Pastel 100 Competition – (Annual/International) Prizes awarded $75-$5000 cash and prizes. Categories available:  Landscape + Interior, Portrait + Figure, Still Life + Floral, Animal + Wildlife, Abstract + Non-Objective. Must be 16 or older to enter. (Deadline:  Early Bird- August 3, 2015, Final- September 1, 2015)
  • Strokes of Genius – (Annual/International) Drawing competition. The theme for 2015 is “Expressive Texture”. Winners work will be published in North Light Book’s Showcase book. No age limit listed. (Deadline:  April 15, 2015)
  • Watermedia Showcase – (Annual/International) Watercolor competition. Sponsored by Watercolor Artist Magazine. Cash prizes $100-$1000. The winner and honorable mentions will be published in Watercolor Artist magazine. No age limit listed. (Deadline:  Early bird:  July 1, 2015, Final:  July 31, 2015)

University Level / Adult Art Contests / Exhibitions

  • Artistic Excellence Competition – (Annual/International) Get art spotlighted in Southwest Art Magazine. Cash prizes $500-$2,000. (Deadline:  July 15, 2015
  • Artists Magazine All Media Competition  – (Annual/International) Winners receive $100-$500 cash and will be published in The Artist Magazine. Categories available:  Acrylic, Graphite/Charcoal/Ink & Scratchboard, Mixed Media/Collage, Oil/Oil Pastel, Pastel, Colored Pencil, Watercolor & Gouache, and Digital. (Deadline:  November 24, 2015. Deadline for 2015 TBA)
  • Dave Brown Project – (Semiannual/International) Winners receive $1,000-$5,000 cash prizes. Competition promotes the display and selling of fine art.  Open to ages 18 and older. (Deadline:  June 6, 2015)
  • Landscapes – (Annual/International) Sponsored by Art-Competition.net. Depicting landscapes in your own emotional interpretation. $25-$5,700 in cash and prizes. Ages 18 or older. (Deadline:  May 1, 2015 – June 15, 2015)
  • RayMar’s Fine Art Competition – (Annual) almost $29K in prizes awarded. Artist must be 18. (Deadline:  April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015)
  • Shenzen Biennial Watercolour Competition – (Biannual/International) Sponsored by the Shenzhen International Culture Association. $800-$13,000 in cash and prizes. 150 paintings will be chosen for a six city national traveling exhibition for one year. Ages 18 and over. (Deadline:  July 10, 2015)
  • The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition – (Annual/International) Cash prizes of £1,500-£10,000. Winning entries will tour the UK. (Deadline:  June 15, 2015)

Sites With Lists of Competitions / K-12

Art Educators

Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth

Student Competitions

Sites With Lists of Competitions / General

Art-Competition

Artists Network

The Art List

Artshow

Art Deadlines List

Art Talk