The Benefits of Entering an Art Contest
Art contests offer children some great life lessons:
- Establishes a goal: Every contest has guidelines and a deadline, which gives a child a specific goal to work toward.
- Builds confidence: The process of creating the artwork itself builds self-confidence, as the child goes from an “I can’t draw” mindset to one of “I can enter this contest — and I might win!”
- Encourages strong effort: The art children enter should be their best work, teaching them that no matter what they do, they should do it well.
- Promotes cultural and social awareness: Many art contests focus on themes related to cultural diversity or social and environmental issues. Participating in these contests can help children develop a deeper understanding of these topics, as well as use art as a medium for change.
- Provides recognition: If they win, their artwork may be showcased in exhibitions, publications, or online. There’s also the fun of a prize and learning to be a gracious winner.
- Teaches how to persevere: If they don’t win, there’s the practice of dealing with disappointment and trying again.
- Teaches the importance of effort: Win or lose, when your child creates a piece of art and enters it in a contest, they have tried, which is the first step to success in any endeavor. Just the act of creating art and putting it out into the world is an accomplishment.
Enter Now!
Ready to enter? Keep scrolling for a list of current online art contests for kids and teens (listed in order of deadline). Almost all of them are free to enter. Once in a while, there will be a contest or two that have just a small fee.
To find out more about a certain contest, click on the name below. If you have a contest you’d like for me to list, please contact me.
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Art Contests
(In order by deadline)
Songbird Art Contest (All Countries)
DEADLINE: November 30, 2024
Ages: Grades K-12
Celebrating Art (US Only)
DEADLINE: December 5
Ages: Grades K-12
DEADLINE: Dates Vary by State, but around December 1
Ages: Grades 7-12
Frogs are Green 15th Annual Kids Art Contest (All Countries)
DEADLINE: December 31, 2024
Ages: 3-18
Sony World Photography Awards Youth Competition (All Countries)
DEADLINE: January 3, 2025
Ages: 19 and under
Kid’s Fish Art Contest (Ontario Only)
DEADLINE: January 3, 2025
Ages: Grades 4-12
Young Railway Photographer of the Year (UK Only)
DEADLINE: January 31, 2025
Ages: 25 and Under
U.S. Kids Magazine Cover Contest (US Only)
DEADLINE: February 1, 2025
Ages: 2-12
Global Canvas Children’s Art Competition (All Countries)
DEADLINE: February 14, 2025
Ages: 4-16
Never Such Innocence International Competition (All Countries)
DEADLINE: February 28, 2025
Ages: 9-18
Science Without Borders Challenge (All Countries)
DEADLINE: March 3, 2025
Ages: 11-19
VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest (US Only)
DEADLINE: March 31, 2025
Ages: Grades 9-12
Art Contests with Deadlines that Vary
If you do not live in the country indicated, you can enter any that say “All Countries”. Contests marked “All Countries” are for young artists living anywhere in the world.
FAI Young Artists Contests (All Countries)
Deadline: Deadline Varies by Country. Contact your country representative. You can find the information here.
Ages: 6 – 17
Sultan of Arts (All Countries)
DEADLINE: Varies
Ages: 24 and Under
Art, Music, Pantomime, Ballet
Congressional Art Competition (US Only)
Deadline: Varies. Contact your representative.
Ages: High School
World Photograph Organisation Monthly Youth Contest (All Countries)
DEADLINE: End of Each Month
Ages: 12-19
Please are there any colouring competitions or activities for toddlers?
When I find out about competitions, I put them on this contest page. Sometimes toddlers are included, such as with the “Get Bugged” contest. If you’re looking for coloring pages, here are some free printable ones from this site: https://www.samanthasbell.com/printables/
I have small art school.so l want to know what is the process to take part art competition but without entry fee . Please tell my process as soon as possible.
I am sorry about that my little sister was in my room typing things in my letter. My name is Lillian .I am only 11 years old .MY mom is very sick because she goes to dialysis mostly every day. I am very scared to loose her so i forget that because that is when i started to draw to forget the situation .
Lillian, you can email me at sam@samanthabellbooks.com
When I find competitions, I post them on this page. If there’s a fee, I mention it in the listing. Otherwise, they are free to enter. I also post the ages and location so that you’ll know if your students qualify. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hello Samantha, my name is Davina. I am 9 years old. I would like to enter the JQA
International Environmental Children’s Drawing Contest. I’ve always wanted to share my art and enter a contest. So I found your website and it was incredibly helpful to me, your website made it easy for me to find a contest to enter.
From Davina
Yay! I’m so glad, Davina!!
great job
Hi Samantha!
The 10th edition of the contest has started. Terms and conditions are pretty much as usual: http://taganrogcity.com/artcontest2020.html
Downloadable entry form:
http://taganrogcity.com/application2020.pdf
Thank you in advance for sharing!
Ma’am, my daughter ( Surosree Mondal) is very much keen to send her self created article/ poetry to any magazine /books/ publishers etc…for which if you kindly let me know few such web address…it will be a great help to her. She is 17 yrs old & appeared ISC exam this year. My son ( Shivraj Mondal) is very much fond of you and he regularly send his own art work to you..and also you have given him a separate art gallery to showcase his own artwork.
Regards
( SUROJIT MONDAL)
I am so sorry for the very late reply! What type of things does she write about? Does she write for adults, teenagers, or younger children?
Hi im 16 yr old girl from Sri Lanka ..is there any art contest which I can easily participate? Cuz I cant figure out which one to participate as theres lot🙂
Radiant Peace Contest: 29th Annual (2019)
For all students in grades 1- 12 (US and International)
Art, Essays, Videos
Postmark deadline: March 27, 2019
Cash Awards
No Entry Fee
Complete information: http://radiantpeace.org/trpea/invitation.html
Posted yet? I’m interested.
Hello there! My students wanted to participate in the FAI International Painting Contest. I applied to the FAI organization in Uzbekistan and they did not know about it. My pupils have drawn up a picture of the contest. How can we participate in the competition?
I am sorry for the late reply. 🙁 I hope your students were able to enter. I don’t know a lot about the contest — I just post the information they have online.
I’d love to add another contest to the list! Celebrating Art is a free contest for kids k-12 in the US and Canada. We offer prizes of art supplies to teachers and students! Check us out!
Thanks! I’ll get it on there!
Thanks for the info!