Welcome! Use the Form Finder below to find the correct entry form and contest rules for your location. Remember:

  • All participants must submit an online entry form. The online form will prompt you to upload digital file(s) of artwork and creative writing. Mail is not accepted at this time for the Bird Art Contest.

  • You may complete the online entry form as an individual OR as a group (e.g., a supervising adult like a teacher submitting on behalf of two or more students).

  • You must use the online form and follow contest guidelines for your unique location (e.g., state or country). Some regions or states have an Art of Conservation Host — or an organization like a conservation agency or science museum who partners with Wildlife Forever to lead the contest in their region. Hosts adapt the contest to the needs of local communities and conservation.

    • What this means: Even though all contests in all places follow Wildlife Forever’s Rules & Guidelines, your local contest may also require a few extra rules (e.g., choosing species from a state list, eligibility for local awards, restrictions on mailing).

  • Digital signatures are required from an adult and the youth participant(s) at the end of the online form.

  • Grownups should help youth in reviewing guidelines and completing the online form.

Enter the 2027 Fish Art Contest!

SUBMISSIONS DUE BY FEBRUARY 28, 2027

Fish Art Form Finder

Mail-In Nametags
Rules & Guidelines
Group Info Sheet

Where do you live? Select your state or country to find the right entry form and contest rules for your location.

Contest you'll be submitting to:

International Fish Art Contest

International Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines, which lists requirements specific to international participants outside the United States.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open worldwide to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible.

Fish must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), rather than a pet store or aquarium. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please ONLY enter your artwork using the online form. Entries are not accepted by mail for participants outside the U.S.

CREATIVE WRITING: Creative writing is OPTIONAL and NOT REQUIRED for international participants. However, you may be eligible for additional awards if you choose to provide creative writing. Please see “Creative Writing Specifications” in the Rules and Guidelines for more details.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your art or writing, you may qualify for various Speciality Awards.

Please note: Participants outside the United States may not be eligible to receive physical prizes or awards at their international address, nor can any art sent by mail be returned. In these cases, recognition will be provided in the form of a digital certificate and online winner announcements on our public website.

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

General Fish Art Contest

General Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Alabama Fish Art Contest

Alabama Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Division of Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries, Alabama Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources), who oversees the contest in your state (Alabama).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

Artwork must feature one or more species from the 2027 Alabama Species List in a natural habitat:

  • Paddlefish
  • Gulf Sturgeon
  • Black Crappie
  • Northern Red Snapper
  • Largemouth Bass
  • Vermilion Darter

Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible. From the list of eligible species in your region, you are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources: For inspiration, dive into NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species-directory

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please only use the online submission form to share your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing. Please do NOT mail your entry. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Kasie McKee, Kasie.McKee@dcnr.alabama.gov

Aquatic Education Coordinator, R3 Unit

Division of Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries

Alabama Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources.

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Alaska Fish Art Contest

Alaska Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Arizona Fish Art Contest

Arizona Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Arkansas Fish Art Contest

Arkansas Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

California Fish Art Contest

California Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Coleman National Fish Hatchery), who represents the Fish Art Contest in the state of California.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

.

Eligible Species

Only fish found in California are eligible for the California Fish Art Contest.

Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

From the list of eligible species in your region, you are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources:

California Freshwater Fish

California Saltwater Fish

NOAA Directory of Fish Species

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please only use the online submission form to share your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing. Please do NOT mail your entry. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Coleman National Fish Hatchery
Laura Mahoney, Laura_Mahoney@fws.gov

24411 Coleman Fish Hatchery Rd. Anderson, CA 96007

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Colorado Fish Art Contest

Colorado Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Connecticut Fish Art Contest

Connecticut Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Delaware Fish Art Contest

Delaware Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

District of Columbia Fish Art Contest

District of Columbia Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Department of Energy & Environment, Government of the District of Columbia), who oversees the contest Washington, DC.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

Only fish found in DC are eligible for the DC Fish Art Contest.

Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, wetland), even if humans or human-built environments (e.g., anglers, boats, docks, historic monuments) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

From the list of eligible species in your region, you are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art, a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources:

DC Fish Species

NOAA Fish Species Directory

Digital Art

Digital art, or artwork that utilizes creative design technologies (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), is NOT AN ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region.

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please only use the online submission form to share your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing. Please do NOT mail your entry. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards


Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Department of Energy & Environment, Government of the District of Columbia

Teresa Rodriguez, teresa.rodriguez@dc.gov and Martin Noyd, martin.noyd@dc.gov

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Florida Fish Art Contest

Florida Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission), who oversees the contest in your state (Florida).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

Art must include one or more of the following Florida native species from the same category:

Category 1 - Freshwater:

  • Largemouth Bass
  • Striped Bass
  • Black Crappie
  • Bluegill
  • Redear Sunfish
  • Spotted Sunfish
  • Channel Catfish
  • Florida Gar
  • Chain Pickerel
  • Bowfin

Category 2 - Saltwater:

  • Snook
  • Redfish
  • Spotted Seatrout
  • Flounder
  • Tarpon
  • Mahi-Mahi
  • Spanish Mackerel
  • Hogfish
  • Queen Snapper
  • Black Grouper

Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

From the list of eligible species in your region, you are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources: For inspiration, dive into NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species-directory

Digital Art

Digital art, or artwork that utilizes creative design technologies (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), is NOT AN ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region.

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please only use the online submission form to share your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing. Please do NOT mail your entry. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. As one example, you could win the Fish Habitat Writing Award: if your creative writing answers the question: “Why do you think it’s important to protect our lakes, rivers, estuaries, and coastlines?”

Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species. Your artwork must still focus on eligible species from the Texas Species List.

Point of Contact

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

Brandon Stys, Brandon.Stys@MyFWC.com

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Georgia Fish Art Contest

Georgia Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Georgia Go Fish! Education Center), who oversees the contest in your state (Georgia).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible in your state. Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources: For inspiration, dive into NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species-directory

Digital Art

Digital art, or artwork that utilizes creative design technologies (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), is NOT AN ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region.

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL): Your contest is overseen by a State Host who does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and will not positively or negatively influence your possibility of winning.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry, please follow all mailing instructions in Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to your State Host below. DO NOT MAIL TO WILDLIFE FOREVER HEADQUARTERS.

Georgia Go Fish! Education Center
ATTN: Chrystal Sherwood
1255 Perry Parkway, Perry, Georgia 31069

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Georgia Go Fish! Education Center

1255 Perry Parkway, Perry, Georgia 31069

Chrystal Sherwood, chrystal.sherwood@dnr.ga.gov

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Hawaii Fish Art Contest

Hawaii Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Idaho Fish Art Contest

Idaho Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Illinois Fish Art Contest

Illinois Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Illinois Conservation Foundation), who oversees the contest in your state (Illinois).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

The art must include wild fish species found in Illinois. Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

From the list of eligible species in your region, you are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources: For inspiration, dive into NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species-directory

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required)

for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL): Your contest is overseen by a State Host who does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and will not positively or negatively influence your possibility of winning.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry, please follow all mailing instructions in Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to your State Host below. DO NOT MAIL TO WILDLIFE FOREVER HEADQUARTERS.

Illinois Conservation Foundation

ATTN: Jenny Vaughn, Fish Art Contest

1 Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards


Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Illinois Conservation Foundation

Jenny Vaughn, jenny@ilconservation.org

1 Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Indiana Fish Art Contest

Indiana Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Iowa Fish Art Contest

Iowa Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Iowa Department of Natural Resources), who oversees the contest in your state (Iowa).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

The art must include one or more of the following Iowa species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Iowa Darter, Bluegill, Crappie, and/or Muskellunge.

Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

From the list of eligible species in your region, you are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources: For inspiration, dive into NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species-directory

Digital Art

Digital art, or artwork that utilizes creative design technologies (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), is NOT AN ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region.

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please only use the online submission form to share your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing. Please do NOT mail your entry. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

Gus Elliot

gus.elliott@dnr.iowa.gov

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Kansas Fish Art Contest

Kansas Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Kentucky Fish Art Contest

Kentucky Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Louisiana Fish Art Contest

Louisiana Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Maine Fish Art Contest

Maine Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Maryland Fish Art Contest

Maryland Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Massachusetts Fish Art Contest

Massachusetts Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Michigan Fish Art Contest

Michigan Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Minnesota Fish Art Contest

Minnesota Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Minnesota Conservation Volunteer Organization), who oversees the contest in your state (Minnesota).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible in your state. Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources: For inspiration, dive into NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species-directory

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please only use the online submission form to share your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing. Please do NOT mail your entry. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Minnesota Conservation Volunteer
Heron Mahr, heron.mahr@state.mn.us

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Mississippi Fish Art Contest

Mississippi Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks), who oversees the contest in your state (Mississippi).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

Artwork must feature fish species found in Mississippi: freshwater fish in the Mississippi Fish ID Guide and/or shark species.

Only the above species are eligible. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible. Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted.

You are also encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

Digital art, or artwork that utilizes creative design technologies (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), is NOT AN ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region.

You may use any combination of the following art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL): Your contest is overseen by a State Host who does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and will not positively or negatively influence your possibility of winning.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry, please begin by scanning and uploading your artwork to your state’s online entry form (REQUIRED). Then, follow all mailing instructions in Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging), including Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to your State Host below. DO NOT MAIL TO WILDLIFE FOREVER HEADQUARTERS.

Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery, ATTN: Emily-Jo Wiggins
457 County Rd 36, Enid, MS 38927

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks

Emily-Jo Wiggins, Emily-Jo.Wiggins@wfp.ms.gov

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Missouri Fish Art Contest

Missouri Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium), who oversees the contest in your state (Missouri).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible in your state. Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources: For inspiration, dive into NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species-directory

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL): Your contest is overseen by a State Host who does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and will not positively or negatively influence your possibility of winning.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry, please begin by scanning and uploading your artwork to your state’s online entry form (REQUIRED). Then, follow all mailing instructions in Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging), including Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to your State Host below. DO NOT MAIL TO WILDLIFE FOREVER HEADQUARTERS.

Wonders of Wildlife, ATTN: Fish Art Contest
600 West Sunshine, Springfield, MO 65807

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium
Ashley Steed and Misty Mitchell, edu@wondersofwildlife.org and mmitchell@wondersofwildlife.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Montana Fish Art Contest

Montana Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Nebraska Fish Art Contest

Nebraska Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (NE Game and Parks Commission), who oversees the contest in your state (Nebraska).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible in your state. Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please only use the online submission form to share your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing. Please do NOT mail your entry. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Larry Pape, Larry.Pape@nebraska.gov

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Nevada Fish Art Contest

Nevada Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

New Hampshire Fish Art Contest

New Hampshire Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

New Jersey Fish Art Contest

New Jersey Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

New Mexico Fish Art Contest

New Mexico Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (New Mexico Department of Wildlife), who oversees the contest in your state (New Mexico).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

Only fish found in New Mexico are eligible in your state.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources: Please see New Mexico Fish Art Contest - NMDOW for the list of eligible species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please only use the online submission form to share your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing. Please do NOT mail your entry. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species,

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

  • Invader Crusader Award: Artwork features a native and invasive species found in the student's local area.
  • Mighty Minnow Award: Artwork celebrates our small but mighty artists: kindergarten participants (age 5 – 6).
  • New Mexico Native Trout Award: Celebrating outstanding artwork that highlights New Mexico’s unique native trout species, Gila trout or Rio Grande Cutthroat trout, symbols of our state’s wild waters and conservation heritage. This award honors creativity that captures the beauty, biology and spirit of native trout found only in our mountain streams.
  • New Mexico Species of Greatest Conservation Need: This award recognizes artwork that best represents New Mexico’s fish listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) — animals identified by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish as being most at risk and in need of proactive conservation. These species depend on healthy habitats and dedicated stewardship to thrive. The winning piece will highlight the importance of protecting New Mexico’s diverse and vulnerable wildlife. A list of SGCN fish can be found at New Mexico Fish Art Contest - NMDOW.

Point of Contact

New Mexico Department of Wildlife
Matty Gonzales – dgf-aquaticed@dgf.nm.gov

Contest you'll be submitting to:

New York Fish Art Contest

New York Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

North Carolina Fish Art Contest

North Carolina Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

North Dakota Fish Art Contest

North Dakota Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Ohio Fish Art Contest

Ohio Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Oklahoma Fish Art Contest

Oklahoma Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Oregon Fish Art Contest

Oregon Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Pennsylvania Fish Art Contest

Pennsylvania Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Rhode Island Fish Art Contest

Rhode Island Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

South Carolina Fish Art Contest

South Carolina Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources), who oversees the contest in your state (South Carolina).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

Fish species found in South Carolina, including both freshwater and saltwater species.

Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

From the list of eligible species in your region, you are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources:

ID Chart

Freshwater Pocket Guide

Saltwater Pocket Guide

Saltwater ID Guide

NOAA Fish Species Directory

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please scan all artwork and essays and upload to the online submission form. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

Pam Corwin

corwinp@dnr.sc.gov

Contest you'll be submitting to:

South Dakota Fish Art Contest

South Dakota Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Tennessee Fish Art Contest

Tennessee Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (TN Wildlife Resources Agency), who oversees the contest in your state (Tennessee).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

Species must be fish found in Tennessee. Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

From the list of eligible species in your region, you are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources: For inspiration, dive into NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species-directory

Digital Art

Digital art, or artwork that utilizes creative design technologies (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), is NOT AN ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region.

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (REQUIRED): Your state REQUIRES you mail your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing entry. First, complete Tennessee’s online submission form (REQUIRED), uploading a quality digital scan of your artwork. Then, follow all mailing instructions in Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging), including Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s).

Mail your artwork to your State Host below. DO NOT MAIL TO WILDLIFE FOREVER HEADQUARTERS.


Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, ATTN: Emily Allen
5107 Edmondson Pike
Nashville, TN 37211

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. This includes a State Specialty Award unique to your state of Tennessee:

  • The Bill Dance Signature Lakes Award: In honor of Tennessee fishing legend, Bill Dance, the artwork must represent bass fishing with one largemouth bass or one smallmouth bass.

For the most current information on other awards, please visit our Speciality Awards page. Below are a few examples from previous contest years (subject to change):

Point of Contact

TN Wildlife Resources Agency

Emily Allen and Yasmeen Ghussein

Emily.Allen@tn.gov and Yasmeen.Ghussein@tn.gov

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Texas Fish Art Contest

Texas Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center), who oversees the contest in your state (Texas).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

Artwork must feature fish species found in Texas. Please reference the 2026 Texas Fish Species Lists: the 2026 Texas Saltwater Species List and the 2026 Texas Freshwater Species List.

From the list of eligible species in your region, you are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species. Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

Species Resources: In addition to Texas Saltwater Species and Freshwater Species, explore additional information on Texas species in NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species.

Digital Art

Digital art, or artwork that utilizes creative design technologies (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), is NOT AN ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region.

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please only use the online submission form to share your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing. Please do NOT mail your entry. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center

tffc.education@tpwd.texas.gov

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Utah Fish Art Contest

Utah Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Vermont Fish Art Contest

Vermont Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department), who oversees the contest in your state (Vermont).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

Artwork must feature wild fish species found in Vermont,

Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish not in a natural habitat (e.g., pet store or fish tank). However, Vermont participants should feel empowered in their creativity and interpretation of “natural.” Ex: A past winner from Vermont chose to illustrate their trout on a wood cutting board. This symbolized the artist’s personal connection to trout, as well as trout’s cultural and ecological significance as food!

Species Resources: For inspiration, dive into Fishes of Vermont and NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species.

Digital Art

Digital art, or artwork that utilizes creative design technologies (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), is NOT AN ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region.

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please only use the online submission form to share your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing. Please do NOT mail your entry. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

Corey Hart

Corey.Hart@vermont.gov

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Virginia Fish Art Contest

Virginia Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (National Youth Visionaries Association), who oversees the contest in your state (Virginia).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible in your state. Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources: For inspiration, dive into NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species-directory

Digital Art

Digital art, or artwork that utilizes creative design technologies (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), is NOT AN ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region.

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL): Your contest is overseen by a State Host who does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and will not positively or negatively influence your possibility of winning.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry, first complete your state’s online submission form and upload your art/writing digitally (REQUIRED). Then, follow all mailing instructions in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging), including Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Mail your artwork to your State Host below. DO NOT MAIL TO WILDLIFE FOREVER HEADQUARTERS.


ATTN: Fish Art Contest

8298A Old Courthouse Road

Vienna, VA 22182

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

National Youth Visionaries Association (NYVA), Tim Zhao
timzhao.NYVA@gmail.com

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Washington Fish Art Contest

Washington Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. Additionally, please follow additional guidelines below established by your State Host (American Mia Education), who oversees the contest in your state (Washington).

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

Fish species found in Washington State.

Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

From the list of eligible species in your region, you are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Species Resources: For inspiration, dive into NOAA Fisheries’ extensive directory of fish species: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species-directory

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please only use the online submission form to share your artwork and (if applicable) creative writing. Please do NOT mail your entry. Physical, mail-in entries are not accepted in your state or region.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species: https://www.theartofconservation.org/specialty-awards

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

American MIA Education

Tina Su

tinaartforever@gmail.com

Contest you'll be submitting to:

West Virginia Fish Art Contest

West Virginia Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Wisconsin Fish Art Contest

Wisconsin Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Wyoming Fish Art Contest

Wyoming Contest Entry Form

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org

Contest you'll be submitting to:

Guam Fish Art Contest

Entry form coming soon.

Rules and Guidelines

Participants must follow all contest guidelines, beginning with Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation Rules and Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.

Entry Deadline

February 28, 2027

Eligible Participants

The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Age 5 – 6)
  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)
  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)
  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)
  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

Eligible Species

All wild fish and shark species are eligible! Species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., river, lake, ocean), even if humans or built human environments (e.g., boats, docks) are also depicted. Goldfish, guppies, bettas, and koi fish, as well as all fish depicted in an unnatural setting like a pet store or fish tank, are NOT eligible.

You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.

Digital Art

You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.

Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art. If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:

3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.

Submission Process

With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). This form is unique to your state, country, or region. The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult/educator submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.

CREATIVE WRITING: U.S. participants in Grades 4 – 12 (Ages 9 – 18) must upload both an original artwork and a creative writing piece to the submission form. Creative writing is optional (not required) for U.S. participants in Grades K – 3 (Ages 5 – 9) or for international students of any grade/age level.

MAILING (OPTIONAL FOR GROUPS OF 12+ IN THE U.S.): Wildlife Forever Headquarters directly oversees your contest and does NOT require a physical entry. You only need to complete the online submission form; mailing physical artwork is OPTIONAL and bears no impact on one’s possibility of winning awards.

If you would still like to mail a physical entry to Wildlife Forever, Wildlife Forever will accept mailed entries only for groups of 12 or more students in the U.S. (e.g., an educator submitting for their class of students). Wildlife Forever will NOT accept individual mail-in entries.

For groups of 12+, follow all instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet, as well as mailing guidelines in the Rules & Guidelines (e.g., dimensions, packaging). Print and use the Mail-In Nametags to make sure we can identify all artwork with its artist(s). Then, mail your package to Wildlife Forever:

ATTN: Art of Conservation, Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever Headquarters
5966 Hwy 61 N. #2, Suite 7
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Additional Awards

Depending on the specific species and focus of your final artwork, you may qualify for additional awards and recognition like Speciality Awards. Below are a few examples from previous contest years. Since these awards are subject to change and expansion from year to year, please visit our Speciality Awards page for the latest details and eligible species.

Example Speciality Awards (subject to change):

Point of Contact

Wildlife Forever

Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager

mnix@wildlifeforever.org

info@wildlifeforever.org