Top Art Competitions For High School Students
by
Indigo Research Team
&
Published:
October 15, 2024
Last Updated:
December 1, 2024
Art competitions can be a game changer for high school students who are passionate about art. Maybe you want to become a professional artist in the future, or you want to boost your college applications with a polished portfolio. Whatever your motivation, there are many art competitions for high school students to consider — from national multimedia contests to local painting and photography festivals.
These competitions also support different art styles, from painting to photography, design to digital art, you'll probably find a contest that is suited to the kind of art you like. To help you keep track of these contests and choose the best one to enter, we've lined up some of the top art competitions for high schoolers. Go through the list to find out what they offer.
Art competitions are good for high school students in many ways. Whether you're keen on how to get into colleges and want to stand out with a strong portfolio, or you have your eyes on the prize, these contests can give you the opportunity you seek. First, most contests give a specific time frame for students to deliver their projects. This deadline instills discipline in the students and promotes innovative thinking.
It also gives real-life experience and opportunities for young artists’ works to be displayed in exhibitions, galleries, or publications. Most competitions provide scholarships or cash rewards which might be helpful in sponsoring future education or art projects. Also, participating in competitions, let alone winning one, boosts a student's portfolio and can help them get better college placement.
Below are some of the most prestigious art competitions for high school students:
YoungArts National Arts Competition is one of the best visual arts contests among students in grades 10 to 12 in the United States. Students can submit works in up to 10 different fields including visual art, photography, sculpture, classical music, theater, writing, voice, film, design, and classical music. The first prize goes up to $10,000 in scholarships and a week-long program in Miami where winners get the chance to work with established artists and attend their master classes and workshops. The national category winners also get an opportunity to be considered for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, one of the highest honors for high school students in the country.
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is one of the most renowned student art contests for young people in grades 7-12 in the United States. Contestants can upload new creations in up to 28 art categories including painting, photography, digital art, and sculpture. Regional winners are awarded the Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mention while national winners are considered for National Awards, including Gold Medal, Silver Medal, and scholarship awards. In addition to these awards, national medalists can receive scholarships up to $12,500. The contest has an impressive list of past winners, too. Past protégés include Amanda Gorman, Andy Warhol, and Sylvia Plath.
Doodle for Google is a popular annual artwork competition that offers students the chance to recreate the Google homepage logo. Intended for students in grades K-12, this competition offers high school participants the artistic challenge of designing a doodle in line with the provided theme and to the best of their talents. The best doodle is displayed on Google's homepage for a day, which gives the artist a world stage. One national winner gets a $55,000 scholarship and $50,000 in technology packages for their school. State and national finalists win smaller scholarships and prizes.
The Sony World Photography Awards – Youth Competition is one of the world's popular photography competitions meant for young photographers between 12 and 19 years old. The organizers choose a monthly theme for entrants, which might vary from landscapes to portraits. Contestants can submit up to 3 photographs based on the theme. Winners gain international recognition as their works are showcased in the Sony World Photography Awards display and promoted through different media channels. Besides the prestige and recognition, they also get Sony digital cameras as well as potential career-enhancing opportunities such as a Sony mentorship program or a commissioning scheme with a leading NGO.
The Congressional Art Competition is one of the most popular art competitions for high schoolers in the United States. It is run by representatives of the United States Congress, and requires students from every congressional district to submit one original work of art each. The pieces chosen are displayed at the U. S. Capitol in Washington, D. C. for a year, where thousands of visitors will view them. The winner will be flown on a round-trip airplane ticket to the national scholarship award ceremony held in Washington D.C. US, and perhaps, receive scholarships offered by recognized art institutions.
The Lumen Prize is one of the top art competitions for high school students with a focus on digital art. Young artists and high school students globally are welcome to participate. Here, contestants enter their digital artworks in several art categories including digital fine art, moving images, 3D/sculpture, and AI art. The contest is more about creative expression and the creator's application of cutting-edge technologies. Winners get cash rewards ranging from $1000 to $7,500 and an opportunity to exhibit their artworks through the Lumen Art Projects network. The Lumen Prize also offers a special award known as the Carla Rapoport Award. It's for outstanding work by underrepresented groups.
The National Young Composers Challenge is one of the top youth art competitions for high school students with a passion for composing music. The challenge is an annual competition for students aged 14 to 18 to submit an original orchestral, chamber, or solo work. The National Young Composers Challenge emphasizes the value of creative musical expression and helps young composers gain national recognition. The winners of the contest will have their compositions performed in a live concert by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra at the NYCC Composium. They will also receive a professional recording of their composition and cash awards from $500 to $1000.
The Global Canvas Children's Art Competition is organized by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) and is open to children from ages 12 to 16. It's a visual art contest where students are challenged to produce artwork related to the conservation of the environment and wildlife. DSWF sets a new theme every year. Some recent themes were focused on Biodiversity, endangered species, and habitats of the world. Participants can submit individual or group pieces using drawing, painting, collage, or even 3D. Winners receive trophies, art supplies, and exhibition opportunities at the Natural History Museum in London.
The Design-a-Bag Competition has been organized annually by Fashion Access since 2007. High School students all over the world are invited to display their fashion design potential. The activities of the contest include designing a unique bag, which is evaluated by the experts. Winners get a $500 cash prize and an exclusive trip to Hong Kong where they showcase their design in the Fashion Access event. Beyond the publicity, winners get to perform internships or apprenticeships with famous fashion houses or brands. Art design competitions like this give young designers an opportunity to enter the fashion market, create a working portfolio, and possibly, get into an Ivy League.
The Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest is one of the top international art competitions for students. In this competition, students around the world express an environmental concept in art, writing, or multimedia. Bow Seat gives each year’s competition an ocean related topic. Participants must follow each rule given by this contest, such as the size, form, and artist statement. The awards range from $250 to $1,500 and all the winning images will be uploaded in a virtual gallery or shown in exhibition. This contest promotes knowledge about ocean conservation problems among the next generation, and it also allows young artists to raise their voices promoting environmental stewardship via their artworks.
NASA Langley Student Art Contest is an annual competition for students in grades K-12 across the United States. Students are welcome to express their creativity through arts based on the chosen theme. The theme chosen for the 2024 national art contests is “Connect the Dots,” which revolves around Space Exploration Technologies. Contestants can submit only one entry whether it's a painting, drawing, or computer-generated image. Special winners include the Grand Prize winner, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Winners in each grade level. They are awarded certificates, and exploration packages from NASA, which may consist of posters, pens, patches, and lapel pins.
The Animation Educators Forum Student Grant invites prospective animation creators across the world to enroll in an animation programme at a university for at least a semester. The grant is offered to undergraduate and graduate students of an accredited animation programme. Applicants must submit an animation-related project proposal or research along with an animation portfolio. The grant will assist students with expenses such as software, hardware, and animation production for designated projects. Winners receive between $1,500 and $5,000 to cover expenses such as software, hardware or production costs, and their art contest ideas are premiered at animation festivals. Besides the cash, winners receive a 1-year Student level membership to ASIFA-Hollywood.
The Embracing Our Differences Art Exhibition is an international visual art competition in which high-school students from around the world submit works of art that represent the core themes of diversity, inclusivity or social justice. Students could submit no more than one work per category, which could be a painting, drawing, photograph, digital art or other medium of artistic expression. Selected artworks are displayed at an impressive, outdoor exhibition in Sarasota, Florida where hundreds of thousands of people view the pieces each year. The selected students receive a $2000 cash prize that would be split between them and their schools to benefit the art department or program.
The annual Ned Smith Center Youth Art Contest challenges students in grades K-12 to create nature-inspired art. The competition helps young talents to develop ideas for the art competition based on wildlife and nature. Contestants' artworks are judged in three categories: elementary, middle school, and high school. The best candidates from each category are rewarded and their works are exhibited at the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Pennsylvania. Judges evaluate entries based on creativity, originality, artistic skill, and how closely the pieces emulate the theme (nature and wildlife). This helps contestants develop visual skills as well as conceptual thinking.
The Wildlife Forever's Fish Art Contest is a national conservation-themed contest for grade K-12 students. The goal is to expose young artists to the diversity of aquatic life and the benefits of conservation through their original artwork of any fish species. A contestant is required to submit a hand-drawn or hand-painted picture of their chosen fish species. Along with this art, they must prepare a short essay on the fish's habitat, behavior, and their role within its ecosystem. Winners receive prestigious art awards, art supplies and prominence in wildlife magazine publications and the Wildlife Forever national calendar.
Teen Ink is a print magazine for young and talented writers and artists. They hold several art contests for teens across the country every year with an age limit of 13-19 years old. Students from high school can submit artworks in several divisions including visual art and photography divisions. Besides visual art and photography, Teen Ink sponsors contests in numerous creative categories, such as poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and even multimedia art. Students are welcome to share their work on the website and get critiques from others. Selected winners are featured on the Teen Ink magazine which provides exposure across the United States.
The Science Without Borders Challenge is an international art competition targeting high school students between ages 11-19. Every year, the competition is centered around a marine conservation theme. Contestants send in artwork produced around the year's theme, and are judged on the basis of originality, quality, and how well the entry fits the theme. They are classified into two age groups: 11-14 and 15-19. Winners, in both categories, are awarded cash prizes: first place, $500; second, $350; third, $200. Winning entries are also featured in online exhibitions and promotional materials.
The Celebrating Art Contest is for students from any school in the United States and Canada of any grade level including high school students. The top quartile of participants get their work published in an art anthology, while the top 10 winners get a $25 gift card and a free book extra. In addition to prizes for students, the national art competition recognizes schools and teachers with exceptional performance. Teachers can be awarded certificates, and schools may receive recognition for supporting young talents to develop important artistic traits. The focus on the celebration of students' creativity makes it a great platform for high school students to practice and develop their skills.
The Artist’s Magazine Annual Artists to Watch Competition is open to young artists, especially high school students who are 16 years and older. In this contest, students produce work in different categories including drawing, painting, and multimedia. Winners get published on Artists Magazine and they are placed on the “Artists to Watch” list which gives them exposure all over the country. They will also receive an Artists Network Membership (worth $99.99) for one year and a digital winner’s badge to show on their social sites and to place on their website or blog.
The International Environmental Children’s Drawing Contest targets students of 7-15 years and challenges them to come up with things to draw in a drawing contest that will relate to pollution, biodiversity, or the preservation of natural resources. Students must generate their own artwork by hand using pencil, crayon, watercolor, or pastel. Digital or computerized art will not be accepted. This guideline promotes the use of traditional art materials to promote hands-on, creative play. This is on of the art competitions for high schoolers that is being organized by the Japan Quality Assurance Organization and International Certification Organization Network, in partnership with UNICEF Tokyo.
Entering high school art competitions can greatly impact your journey as a young artist. It gives you a chance to be recognized and receiving valuable scholarship, mentorship, or career opportunities in creative industries. It’s important to note that preparing for art competitions does not just require great artistic talent but you also need to have a compelling idea and narrative behind your piece.
But not only participation in competitions can emphasize your skills. For example, you can also take part in research on your topic or do your own project. Here you can find more information about research opportunities for high school students. Investing in research programs will give you more exposure to art history, and cross-cultural perspectives that can help you develop and refine the themes of your projects.
If you are interested in art as well as research, you should consider Indigo Research. Here at Indigo Research, we allow students the opportunity to fuse their creativity with research about art. In this program, students from across the globe can complete independent research projects in global art. With the help of top mentors from renowned universities and access to a great number of academic sources, you'll be able to approach chosen subjects critically and analyze them from a scholarly perspective.
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