Seattle Family Calendar
Subscribe
Put their talents to the (con)test
When parents think of healthy competition, they usually think of sports. But creative activities can also generate the benefits of competition, such as taking risks, working hard toward a goal against a deadline, earning recognition for accomplishments and learning to deal with disappointment when the limelight shines somewhere else. Contests are as important to creative professionals (think of performing arts auditions and literary prizes) as they are to athletes. By entering creative contests now, your child is already stepping onto the path of a working artist. But of course, competition can also be a way to spark new ideas and projects just for the fun of it.
Grocery stores, restaurants and local museums often host coloring contests for younger kids. Check your local library and parks department for other onetime contests. But it takes a certain amount of serendipity to stumble across the right contest at the right time. We’ve rounded up a list of annual and recurring contests to help you plan ahead.
- Multidisciplinary contests
- Visual arts contests
- Music competitions
- Writing contests
- Filmmaking competitions
- Photography
- Innovation
Multidisciplinary contests
Next Narrative Monologue Competition (NNMC)
This new national arts education program for high school students, to be hosted at Seattle Rep, will feature and expose participants to the works of a host of contemporary African American playwrights. Participants will learn acting techniques from professional coaches, and explore how art and culture influence personal perspectives. The competition launched in the fall of 2021 and is open to all students in grades 9–12 living in Washington state. The national finals for this round will be held in May 2022. There is no fee to participate, and students need not have any previous theatrical experience. Check the website for upcoming opportunities later in 2022.
YoungArts
YoungArts holds a major national contest for 15- to 18-year-old (grades 10–12) visual, literary and performing artists in 10 disciplines. Applications open in June and close in October, with winners announced in three categories in December. Winners receive cash prizes from $100 to $10,000, as well as lifelong access to mentors, workshops and residencies. Cost to enter is $35 (which can be waived).
Holocaust Center for Humanity’s Writing, Art and Film Contest
This contest challenges students to use writing, art or film to explore the history and stories of the Holocaust and to consider the impact of individual actions. The contest opens with two prompts published in December. Students in grades 5–12 from Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska are eligible. Entries will be accepted January 1–May 13, 2022. Winning entries are displayed by the center throughout the year, and winners receive cash prizes of as much as $200.
Emerald Youth Review
The Emerald Parents Association posts a new prompt for stories, essays or artwork about historical events or characters each month. Asian American students in grades 3–12 can enter by the end of the month for a chance to win $10.
Washington History Day
Held as part of National History Day, Washington History Day is a social studies program administered by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in Washington state that challenges middle and high school students to develop their historical research skills. Individual students or teams in grades 6–8 and grades 9–12 research the annual topic and then present their work in one of five formats: a historical research paper, dramatic performance, multimedia documentary, a museum-quality exhibit or a navigable website. There is no registration fee, and the 2022 deadline is April 13. Winners progress through regional, state and national levels. Prizes may include certificates, medals, trophies, scholarships or cash.
Scholastic Art and Writing Contests
For younger kids, Scholastic frequently runs free art and writing contests through its website. Winners are chosen at random and receive prizes, such as a box of books.
Get to Know
The Get to Know contest promotes environmental learning by encouraging young people to connect with and interpret the natural world around them through art, photography and writing. It is open to anyone ages 19 and younger, with both place-based and artform categories. Entries must be submitted by June 1 each year. Prizes include items such as binoculars and art supplies.
Visual arts contests
Toyota Dream Car USA Contest
Break out those crayons and color pencils and get creative! This art contest is for kids ages 4–15 years old and encourages them to help imagine what cars and transportation should look like in the future. Nine winners will be selected each year, three in each age category (4–7 years; 8–11 years; and 12–15 years) and prizes range from $250–$750. Check out the website for contest details and submission process and guidelines. The contest is accepting mail-in and digital artwork submissions from October 1, 2022–January 31, 2023.
Doodle for Google
You know those cool little cartoons at the top of the Google search page? Once a year, that doodle is the prizewinning entry from a K–12 student, judged in five grade groups. Entries are due by March 5 in the United States (other countries have their own contests) using Google’s entry form. Entries must include the Google logo but can use any medium. Judges will select 54 state and territory winners for Googley swag. The public then votes to determine the five national finalists from among the 54. One winner will receive a $30,000 scholarship and a $50,000 technology package for their school. Entry is free but limited to one per student. The competition is closed for 2022, but check the website for updates.
Ned Smith Center Youth Art Contest
The Pennsylvania-based Ned Smith Center holds an annual international wildlife art contest, with a different theme each year. The contest is open to students in grades 1–12, with four winners in each of four age categories, plus a Best in Show winner. Entries are due at the beginning of June, with winners announced in July. Cost to enter is $10.
U.S. Kids Cover Contest
U.S. Kids holds an annual themed magazine-cover design contest. The contest is open to ages 2–12, with entries grouped into two age categories. The winners’ art is used for the front covers of Jack and Jill (age 6–12 category) and Humpty Dumpty (ages 2–6) magazines, with second-place, third-place and Readers’ Choice winners’ art showcased inside the same issue; cash prizes are awarded to the art departments of the winners’ schools. Entries are due in early February. There is no cost to enter, but only one entry per child is accepted.
WorldWide Kids Drawings
For those who dislike structure, the WorldWide Kids Drawings contest has no theme or deadline, but participants must be age 6–17. Entries are submitted on a rolling basis, and winners are announced whenever the website updates. Prizes range from $250 to $1,000. Cost to enter is $20.
Teen Ink
Teen Ink is a national magazine that showcases creative works by young people ages 13–19. Teens can submit their work for inclusion inside the magazine or enter the monthly cover image contest. There are no deadlines or fees to enter. Artists will receive a $25 gift card if their image is used on the cover.
Congressional Art Competition
Since 1982, the U.S. House of Representatives has sponsored a nationwide visual art competition. High school students submit their framed, two-dimensional art to their district’s representative (deadlines may vary by district). Ironically, subject matter cannot be political. There is no entry fee, but participation may incur framing and shipping costs.
Music competitions
National Association for Music Education
The National Association for Music Education holds four competitions each year. For kindergartners through college students, there are the Student Composers Competition for ensemble or orchestra (April deadline) and the Electronic Music Composition Competition (April deadline). For K–12 entrants, there are the Student Songwriters Competition (April deadline) and the All-National Honor Ensembles for performers (check the website for updates regarding the 2022 deadline). Submission requirements vary, and prizes include cash, written critiques and professional recordings of submitted compositions.
National Young Composers Challenge
The National Young Composers Challenge encourages teens 13–18 to compose a classical work for ensemble (from two to six instruments) or full orchestra. There is no fee to enter. The submission deadline is Oct. 1, and winners are announced in April. Each year, winners earn a recording of their score performed by professional musicians of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, ensemble winners receive $500; orchestra winners receive $1,000.
American Protégé
American Protégé holds seven different international musical performance competitions each year: Piano and Strings, Concerto, Romantic Music, Music Talent, Vocal, Woodwinds and Brass, and We Sing Pop! All of these competitions are open to all ages (judged in age categories). Deadlines vary for each competition, so be sure to check the website for more information. At $200, the entrance fee is high. Awards include a $300 scholarship, trophies and an opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall.
National Association of Teachers of Singing
This is another organization that holds multiple contests. Most of these are for adults and college students, but the Art Song Composition contest has no age requirement. For $15, students can enter their art song (think opera without the theater) to win $1,000–$2,000 and a trip to the NATS national conference. The deadline is in December.
Unsigned Only
If your kid is looking to take their garage band to a bigger venue, Unsigned Only taps famous pop stars to judge original and cover songs in more than a dozen popular genres and categories. There doesn’t appear to be a minimum age as long as parents give consent for their child to participate. Early-bird submission in September is $25, escalating to $35 by the April deadline. Prizes range from merch and video production all the way up to $20,000 and a chance to make a pitch to record label executives.
Washington State Music Teachers Association
The Washington State Music Teachers Association holds four annual contests, each with at least three tiers: Composition, Performance, Outstanding Artist and Young Composers Project. Registration generally begins in August, with deadlines ranging from September through November. Costs and prizes vary.
International Songwriting Competition
The ISC has a dedicated teen category for competitors ages 18 and younger, but there are no age requirements to enter any of the other myriad genre categories. Entry fees start at $25 in June and escalate to $35 in November.
More music contests
If you still haven’t found a perfect fit, check out Musical America Worldwide’s list of nearly 100 contests around the world.
Writing contests
53-Word Story Contest
Hosted by Prime Number Magazine and Press 53, this simple contest posts a writing prompt each month. Anyone who writes in English can enter for free by emailing a poem or story that follows the prompt and is exactly 53 words long. Deadline is by the 15th day of the month. The winning submission gets published in Prime Number Magazine and receives one free book from Press 53.
Kenyon Review
The highly respected literary journal The Kenyon Review has three annual writing contests. The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers is specifically for high school sophomores and juniors. Poems are submitted during the month of November. Winners and runners-up will have their submissions published in the review and receive scholarships to attend the Young Writers workshop. The Short Nonfiction and Short Fiction contests are open to any previously unpublished author. The journal accepts entries during the months of December and January, respectively, with a submission fee ($24) and a 1,200-word limit.
The Washington State Zine Contest
Sponsored by the Library of Congress Center for the Book, each state has its own zine (that’s a homemade magazine) contest. The competition is open to Washington state residents of all ages, with prizes awarded in age categories ranging from fourth grade to adult. Entry is free, and submissions are due in February. Winning zines will be added to library collections across the state.
Write Out of This World (WOOTW)
The Museum of Pop Culture’s (MoPOP) writing contest encourages young creators of science fiction and fantasy with short story and comics categories. Postponed during the pandemic, WOOTW plans to return bigger than ever next fall. Details to be announced.
Playwrights for Change
The American Alliance for Theatre & Education holds this national middle and high school playwriting competition. Students in grades 6–12 write original 10-minute plays with six or fewer characters. The contest theme changes each year. Plays are due in March. Winning plays will be presented at the AATE National Conference.
Student Book Competition
The National Youth Foundation’s annual writing contest welcomes K–8 individuals and teams to submit books of 20–30 pages with an equal number of illustrations that incorporate anti-bullying themes. Entry is free and submissions are due in July. Winners receive $500.
Find more kids’ writing contests on TCK Publishing’s website.
Filmmaking competitions
National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY)
Seattle-based NFFTY is a national film festival screening films by filmmakers 24 years old and younger. The films must have runtimes of less than 40 minutes. Awards in different categories and age groups include prizes ranging from software, scholarships and cash to a trip to TheNextFilmFestival International in Denmark. Submissions are accepted from May through January, with entry fees escalating from $22 to $60.
All American High School Film Festival
This international film festival accepts media arts entries from middle and high school artists in numerous categories, including video blogs, music videos and podcasts. The specific requirements vary by category, as do the prizes. Entries submitted between November and February are free; entries are accepted through June each year with entry fees escalating to $65. The festival is held in New York City in October.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Film Festival
MoPOP’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Film Festival introduced a youth category for aspiring filmmakers in 2021. Check the website for more details.
Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF)
One of the world’s biggest film festivals, SIFF presents the juried FutureWave Shorts competition to showcase new films created by artists 18 and younger. Submissions are due in early January, with a $30 submission fee (entry fees are waived for Washington state residents). Winners are screened during the festival in April.
One Earth Film Festival
The Young Filmmakers Contest of the One Earth Film Festival welcomes submissions of films on environmental topics created by third-graders up to college and post-graduate students no older than 25. Films must be between three and eight minutes long, and address one of seven environmental topics, with an emphasis on solutions. Submissions are due in January. One winner in each of seven age-based and content-themed categories are screened at the festival in March, and winners receive scholarships or cash prizes of as much as $1,000. Prizes are matched with grants of equal value; recipients of the grants are chosen by the winner.
Boston International Kids Film Festival
Showing films made by, for and about kids, the Boston International Kids Film Festival accepts submissions between February and August with escalating fees ($25–$50).
More film contests
Looking for more film contests? The School of Creative and Performing Arts maintains a list of its top picks.
Photography
Ranger Rick Photo Contest
Kids 13 and younger are invited to submit nature photos taken without the assistance of an adult. Entries are accepted on a rolling basis, and winners are announced quarterly. Winning photos are displayed on the Ranger Rick website and published in an issue of the magazine. Free to enter.
Sony World Photography Awards
There are student and youth competitions under the umbrella of the Sony World Photography Awards. The youth category for ages 12–19 is held monthly, with a different theme each month. Entry is free and the prize, naturally, is Sony gear.
National Geographic Photo Contest
Yes, they will be competing with some of the top amateur photographers in the world. But National Geographic photography contests, which include travel and nature photography, are open to all ages. In the past, there has been a specific kids’ contest for ages 6–14, but it’s not clear if that contest will be held again in the future.
Comedy Pet Photography Awards
The Comedy Pet Photography Awards is sponsored by Animal Friends Insurance with an entry fee of five British pounds to enter five photos, but the competition does not appear to be limited to U.K. entrants. There are categories for type of pet, but also a category for youth photographers. Kids 16 and younger can enter the Junior category and submit up to 10 photographs for free. The top prize is £2,000!
IPPAWards
Photographers of any age can submit photos taken with an iPhone or iPad that have not been edited with any desktop software (iOS app editing is allowed) in a dozen different categories by March 31 each year. Entry fees vary depending on the number of photos submitted. There are winners for each category, and four overall winners; prizes vary.
Looking for more photography contests? Check out the Photo Contest Insider list.
Innovation
National Geographic GeoChallenge
The National Geographic GeoChallenge empowers young people to learn about issues in their community, engage in critical thinking to identify innovative solutions and take action as champions of the planet. The annual contest will relaunch in the fall with a new model to advance National Geographic’s mission for an even greater impact. Be sure to check the website for updated information.
Future City Competition
The Future City design contest used to be reserved for school teams, but the competition relaxed its requirements during the pandemic. Starting in fall, middle school students (in grades 6–8) imagine, research, design and build cities of the future that showcase their solution to an annual sustainability theme. There is a $25 registration fee. Regional teams win prizes such as telescopes, and, when travel is safe, a trip to compete at the national competition in Washington, D.C.
Kids Cooking Recipe Contest
This rolling recipe contest rewards kids’ original recipes. Using the online entry form, kids submit their recipe with cooking instructions and a photo of their own preparation of the food. Cookbook prizes are awarded regularly.
Young Inventor Challenge
The Young Inventor Challenge for kids ages 6–18 challenges entrants to develop and pitch their game and toy designs. The official prize is $250 worth of toys and games, but sometimes winning designs are even licensed and manufactured for sale. The contest takes place in the fall, usually with an October registration deadline and a November deadline for submissions. Details for the Young Inventor Challenge for 2022 have not yet been announced.
The Congressional App Challenge
The district-specific Congressional App Challenge, sponsored by the U.S. House of Representatives, calls for middle and high school students to submit their apps developed in the past year. Winners receive public recognition, and prizes may be available from year to year.
Google Play Change the Game
To address the gender gap in gaming, Google Play, Girls Make Games and the ESA Foundation hold the Change the Game Design Challenge. The program challenges teens (who need not be female) to design an inclusive game they’d like to play for the chance to win a $10,000 college scholarship and $15,000 for their school’s or community center’s technology program. Dates for 2022 have not yet been announced.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2021, and updated in April 2022.
