05/23/2026
Art Students! Be a part of something bigger than you- American Heroes Student Art Competition- Celebrating our 250th Year Celebration! Deadline has been extended to June 1st-
America needs your gift!
https://freedom250.org/celebration/american-heroes-student-art-contest
How to Enter the Contest:
Students must develop submissions individually and may not enter as a group. Artwork must be handmade. No AI or digital media artwork is permitted.
Choose a Hero from History, from the provided list for the National Garden of American Heroes. Download the At-a-Glance List of 250 American Heroes and the American Heroes Biographies for more information about each one.
Create an original, handmade Two-Dimensional Work of Art (painting, mixed media, film-based photograph, or drawing; no AI or digital art), no larger than 24-inches in height and width, that depicts your selected American Hero or one aspect of his or her life:
A Portrait of the American Hero,
A Place that was significant to the American Hero,
A Key Historical Event for which the Hero is known,
An Object or Symbol representing an important aspect of the Hero, OR
An American Cultural Practice that is associated with this Hero.
Download the Artist Statement Planning Worksheet. In approximately 200 words (100 for elementary students) and answering two or three of the following prompts:
Describe the subject of your artwork: Which American Hero did you choose, and how does your artwork represent this historical figure?
Share why your artwork's subject is important (or matters): Why does this matter to our nation, to your community, and to you? What might this person teach us about living heroically?
Explain how your artwork was influenced by a particular historical American art style or artist from the last 250 years. Download a Slide Deck of American Art Styles.
With the help of a parent, guardian, or teacher, submit your artwork onto the ArtCall Submission Platform with a high-resolution photo or digital scan, along with the artist statement. Students under the age of 18 are required to submit a signed parent or legal guardian permission form available on and submitted through the ArtCall Submission Platform.
Submission Requirements
Participating students should create and submit an original, handmade two-dimensional artwork and a 200-word artist statement (100 words for elementary students). Use the steps outlined in the section below.
Submission Categories
Upper Elementary School Students (Grades 3-5);
Middle School Students (Grades 6-8); High School Students (Grades 9-12).
Judging Criteria
A panel of artists and educators will evaluate submissions based on age-level artistic excellence and technical skill, creativity and innovation, relevance to the submission requirements, and clarity and meaning of the artist statement.
Awards
Up to 168 first-place awardees (up to 1 student from each age group category representing 56 each state and territory) and their designated parent/guardian will receive a travel and lodging allowance to travel to Washington, D.C., July 7-9, 2026, to attend a Student Art Exhibition and Award Ceremony at the Great American State Fair, recognizing state, regional, and overall winners. Award recipients will be notified in early June 2026.
more info here is the link- https://freedom250.org/celebration/american-heroes-student-art-contest
