Student Art Contest

Performing Arts Houston’s Student Art Contest aligns the visual arts with Performing Arts Houston’s mainstage programming. Each season, students from the Houston area submit artwork to compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to have their artwork exhibited around the city.

The Annual Student Art Contest is open to students in grades K-12 attending public, private or home schools within a 50-mile radius of downtown Houston.

Theme: LIMITLESS

Performing Arts Houston provides a window to the world for our audiences. In the spirit of adventure and greater understanding, we seek growth through continual learning. We challenge ourselves and our patrons, participants, partners, and artists to ask questions, gather insights, and explore new ideas. The 25th Annual Student Art Contest encourages students to explore their surroundings and reflect on their passions, inspired by exceptional artists whose work broadens our understanding of the world around us. This season, we turn to three of Performing Arts Houston’s mainstage performances to serve as inspiration for the contest: DIAVOLO, New/Now: The Houston Artist Commissioning Project, and Our Planet Live in Concert.

This year’s theme invites students to consider how our world is vast and there is so much to learn. From the beauty of our natural world to innovations in engineering and the fine arts, What is something that fascinates YOU and how do you engage with it?

Submissions are accepted virtually at the link below. Do you have questions about the Art Contest? Sign up for Art Contest Office Hours to connect with our staff and address all of your concerns.

Deadline for Artwork Submissions: March 10, 2023

SUBMIT ARTWORK HERE

Link to Contest Rules & Guidelines
Students compete in five divisions for cash and prize awards:

Division A: Grades K-2 Division B: Grades 3-5 Division C: Grades 6-8 Division D: Grades 9-11 Division E: Grade 12
  • Students in grades K-12 attending any public, private, charter, or home school within a 50-mile radius of Performing Arts Houston offices (77002) are eligible to enter.
  • Artwork of any 2D medium is accepted.
  • Artwork must be completed within the 2022-2023 school year.
  • Artwork must be unsigned.
  • Artwork will be submitted virtually through the Performing Arts Houston online platform, Award Force. Winning artwork must be delivered to the Performing Arts Houston offices in Jones Hall, before April 25, 2023.
  • Artists may only submit one entry. Group art projects and collective efforts are not eligible.
  • Each artwork submission must be accompanied by a Student Consent Form signed by the student (if over 18) or a parent or guardian.

Thank you to all who participated in the 24th Annual Student Art Contest! Learn more about the winners and view a gallery of their work here:

24th Annual Student Art Contest
Wells Fargo Student Art Contest 12
Wells Fargo Student Art Contest 18
Wells Fargo Student Art Contest 13
Wells Fargo Student Art Contest 11
Wells Fargo Student Art Contest 10
Wells Fargo Student Art Contest 19
Wells Fargo Student Art Contest 17
Wells Fargo Student Art Contest 15
Wells Fargo Student Art Contest 6
Wells Fargo Student Art Contest 16

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