Call for Submissions: Youth Art Month Contest at Hawk Mountain

Tuesday, March 1 will kick off the Hawk Mountain Youth Art Month Contest, which runs all month with submissions due no later than March 31. Children and teens ages 5 – 16 are welcomed to submit artwork, and staff will select two winners from the ages 5 – 9 and 10 – 16 age groups. Winners will have their artwork displayed in the Visitor Center Gallery from Thursday, April 22 through Sunday, May 22 in celebration of Earth Day and the spring season. Winning artwork will also be made into a limited-edition sticker to be sold in the Mountain Bookstore, and winners will receive a gift and/or family membership.

“Creating art and entering it in a contest is a great way for kids to value their artwork,” says Riley Davenport, Educator and Raptor Care Specialist with a background in art education. “It’s exciting to foster a positive relationship between nature and art.”

Participants should be sure to download and submit the necessary waiver from the Youth Art Month Contest event page. Any of the artwork may be shared on the Hawk Mountain website or social media. Artwork must clearly depict an aspect of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and be original artwork by the artist listed on the waiver to be considered. Accepted forms of art are paintings, drawings/sketches, or digital art.

The Art & Creative Materials Institute started Youth Art Month about 60 years ago to emphasize the value of visual art education for children. The Institute then created The Council for Art Education, which now coordinates this national event. The impact of Youth Art Month in education and communities can be appreciated all year. Learn more about Youth Art Month here. 

All information on the contest can be found at hawkmountain.org/events/youth-art-month-contest. For information on other upcoming events, visit hawkmountain.org/events.