Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Submit your student art and writing for the Scholastic Art Awards!
Calling all student artists, writers, and young creatives: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, an Affiliate Partner of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, is seeking submissions from student artists for the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
The Scholastic Art Awards is the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have inspired bold ideas in creative teens throughout the country.
2026 Scholastic Art Awards
This year, Crystal Bridges is continuing our partnership with the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. The partnership aims to further our mission of providing access to art and literature for all and supporting education in the Heartland.
How to Submit
Works must be entered digitally as per the guidelines provided by Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Entry fees are $10 per individual entry and $30 per portfolio. Fee waiver options are available. The deadline for submissions is on or before 10:59 p.m. CST on Sunday, December 7, 2025. All submissions must be completed online at ArtAndWriting.org.
Entries are selected for awards without knowledge of the student’s gender, age, ethnicity, or hometown. All entries are judged by a panel made up of regional artists and writers, art educators, and industry leaders. Judges look for works that exemplify the Awards’ core values: originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. At the regional level, works earn an Honorable Mention, Silver Key, or Gold Key distinction. Gold Key works advance to the national level, where they can earn Silver and Gold Medals.
Open Art PortalOpen Writing Portal
Events & Timeline
Deadline to Enter: December 7, 2025
Regional Announcement Day: January 28, 2026
Community Gallery Showcase at Crystal Bridges (for selected works): June 6, 2026 – November 2026
Showcase Opening Reception: TBD
Regional Announcement Day
The Regional Announcement Day for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Heartland Region is scheduled for January 28, 2026. On this day, participants and educators can log into their accounts to view their award results. If awarded, a certificate and recognition letter will be available for download.
Community Gallery Showcase
A limited number of Gold and/or Silver Key winning artworks will be selected for a special showcase in our brand-new Community Art Gallery opening on June 6, 2026, as a part of the Crystal Bridges Expansion. Selected works will be on display June 6, 2026, through November 2026. Any Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mention artwork not selected for the showcase will be displayed digitally.
Due to space constraints, only certain works will be selected for display. Winning a Gold or Silver Key Award will NOT guarantee inclusion in the Showcase. Writing Awards will not be showcased.
About the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The Awards give students opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. In 2024, more than 110,000 teens across the United States and Canada entered more than 340,000 original works in 28 different categories of art and writing.
