Wildlife of Arkansas
Student Art Contest

Submissions for the 2024 Art Contest (2023-2024 school year) are now open until March 29, 2024! See below for more information.

About the Student Art Contest

The theme Wildlife of Arkansas acknowledges the natural beauty of Arkansas by providing the perfect inspiration for students to explore their natural surroundings and their artistic abilities. The term wildlife is not limited to animals, but can also include plants, wildflowers, or landscapes. For more detail, read the Guidelines for Artwork below.

The Wildlife of Arkansas Student Art Contest is made possible by the Arkansas Wildlife Federation, with support from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, guidance from the creative folks at Creative Ideas, invaluable volunteers, and the expertise of professional judges.

Entries will be accepted for this year’s contest from January 15 – March 29, 2024. Follow AWF’s social media and check back here often for updates and added resources.

Art Contest Toolkit

We have created a “Toolkit” to support teachers, parents and students participating in the contest.
Please click the button below to view resources.

Guidelines for Artwork

  • Contest is FREE and open to K–12th grade students in Arkansas.
  • One entry per student is accepted.
  • Artwork must be the student’s original work completed in the current school year.
  • Artwork must feature Arkansas-native plants, wildlife, and/or landscapes. Artwork featuring plants, wildlife, or landscapes that are not native to Arkansas will be disqualified.
  • All submissions must be titled.

The art contest is virtual with judging done via photographs that are submitted online.

Medium can be oil, acrylic, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, graphite, ink, and mixed media on canvas, wood, paper, or poster board no larger than 24″x32″.

IMPORTANT TIPS FOR SUBMITTING ARTWORK:

  • Do your research and make sure your subject species or landscape is native to Arkansas.
  • Be sure your artwork is titled.
  • Check that all information entered (name, address, email, etc.) is complete and accurate.
  • Avoid listing school email accounts that may reject notification emails from AWF.

Three tips for taking awesome pictures of your artwork:
#1 Use good lighting- the best is non-direct outside lighting. No glare or shadows.
#2 Make sure it’s in focus and flat.
#3 Edit it…but do it sparingly.  (Crop it, adjust lighting, etc., just make sure the image represents your actual artwork!)

For more tips on how to photograph your artwork check out this video: 

 Judging

Artwork is submitted online and judged based on 3 criteria: creativity, skill, and interpretation of the theme. A panel of professional artists will select 4 winners in each grade, including 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, and honorable mention.

In addition, one Best of Show winner will be selected within the following grade categories: Grade School (K-4th grade), Middle School (5th-6th grade), Jr. High (7th-8th grade), and High School (9th-12th grades).

Recognition of Winners

Winning artwork will be part of a traveling art exhibition showcased at locations around the state, beginning at the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock where student winners will be recognized at a reception. Artwork will also be featured in the summer issue of Arkansas Out of Doors magazine, the official publication of Arkansas Wildlife Federation. Each winner will be mailed a copy of the magazine featuring their winning artwork.

Event Disclaimer
Judges decisions are final.

Arkansas Wildlife Federation reserves the right to reproduce submitted artwork for informational and promotional purposes.

*Important: Teacher, parent, and/or student are responsible for properly entering artwork into the correct grade levels and ensuring all contest criteria are met. For questions, please contact Sim Barrow, sbarrow@arwild.org. 

Frequently Asked Questions

All students who are current Arkansas residents in grades K-12 of the current school year are eligible, including home-schooled students.

Yes. All students who are current Arkansas residents in grades K-12 in Arkansas are eligible. For homeschool students, please select the appropriate grade level according to age.

No. Only current Arkansas residents are eligible to participate in the contest.

Yes. In fact, many art teachers incorporate the art contest into their curriculum. For curriculum ideas and resources, click here.

Yes. While the contest is named “Wildlife of Arkansas”, artwork featuring Arkansas-native landscapes, wildflowers, or Arkansas waterways are all eligible.

Artwork must feature Arkansas-native plants, wildlife, and landscapes, meaning those that occur naturally in Arkansas. This is in contrast to non-native and often invasive species which have been introduced from other places by human activities. For example, Whitetail deer, monarch butterfly, and largemouth bass are all native to Arkansas. Feral hogs, domesticated animals like dogs and cats, or ornamental flowers are not native.

Medium can be oil, acrylic, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, graphite, ink, and mixed media on canvas, wood, paper, or poster board no larger than 24″x32″.

Students may only submit one artwork per year to the annual contest. Only artwork created
during the current school year will be eligible.

No. Only artwork created during the current school year may be submitted. Artwork that was created in previous years, and/or artwork that was submitted to the contest in previous years is not eligible.

Submissions are made via the online submission portal on this website. You will upload a photograph of your artwork along with the title and caption describing the art medium used. Be sure that ALL personal contact information is ACCURATE before submitting. Once your artwork has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation email sent to the email address that you listed with your submission.

Yes, however it is recommended that each participant provide an individual/personal email address if possible. Using a teacher email address for multiple student submissions may result in duplicate communications emails and contest updates including notification of judging results. Also note that some email accounts, especially school accounts, may block AWF emails. If you must use a school account, please be sure to check your spam folder and add info@arwild.org to your safe list.

Check to make sure that you have completed all the required fields in the submission form and
that you have good internet connection. You should receive a confirmation email upon successfully submitting your artwork. Please do not resubmit your artwork until you have first checked your spam folder and/or added info@arwild.org to your safe list. If it appears that your submission is still not going through, and you have not received a confirmation email, please contact info@arwild.org for additional support.

Your submission has been accepted if after clicking “Submit” you see a page that says, “Your entry has been received.” Your submission will not be visible in the gallery until it has been approved which can take up to 48 hours. If you do not see your submission in the gallery after two business days, contact  info@arwild.org for additional support.

Winners will be selected by a panel of professional artists and judged based on 3 criteria:
creativity, skill, and interpretation of the theme.

Winners will be invited to a special reception in Little Rock, Arkansas in May (exact date and location TBA). Their artwork will be featured at the reception and in a traveling exhibit to be displayed in nature centers and other public locations across the state. In addition, winning artwork will be featured in the summer issue of Arkansas Out of Doors magazine, the official statewide publication of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation.

No. Beginning with the 2024 contest, cash prizes will not be part of the award package. Winners will receive a certificate and will be recognized at a reception, in a traveling exhibit of winning artwork, and in Arkansas Out of Doors magazine, as detailed above.

Two copies of the magazine will be sent to each winner to the address provided in the submission form. Arkansas Wildlife Federation (AWF) cannot mail additional copies of the magazine and is not responsible for inaccurate mailing addresses resulting in “lost” mail. (Note: all current AWF “members” [financial contributors to AWF] automatically receive one mailed copy of each issue of the magazine. To join AWF and support programs like this and more, click here.)

The exhibit tour schedule will be posted on the AWF website when finalized in late spring. It will also be promoted on AWF’s social media, including Facebook and Instagram.

Winners will be announced by April 15, 2024 via the email provided in the submission form. Please be sure that you enter a valid and correct email address upon submitting your artwork. If you were chosen as a winner, you will receive an individual email stating the award with additional information. If you were not selected as a winner, you will receive a standard email letting you know that judging has concluded and encouraging you to try again next year!

Please do not email AWF to inquire of judging status before April 15, 2024. Also note that some email accounts, especially school accounts, may block AWF emails. If you do not see an email with the judging results on or before April 15, 202, please first check your spam folder and add info@arwild.org to your safe list. If you still do not see the email, contact us at info@arwild.org to inquire.