Explore student competitions.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, Design an original parade-float concept for a fictional theme-park or city-parade setting. US legal residents in high-school grades 11 or 12 submit individually through the organiser’s online route. The main challenge is making an imaginative story work as a practical, visually coherent design, rather than producing an attractive picture alone.

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A global photography competition where young photographers submit single images responding to an annual theme. Open to photographers aged 19 or under worldwide, with up to three entries per person. Rated Intermediate Level, with difficulty mainly coming from originality, visual storytelling and highly competitive international judging.

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Rated Advanced, This long-running creative programme accepts original art and writing across many categories, beginning with regional review and continuing to national consideration. Students in grades 7–12 who are at least 13 enter online through their assigned region in the United States or eligible Canadian locations. Strong entries combine accomplished craft with originality and a distinctive personal voice, often after substantial development and revision.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, An original-composition competition for senior secondary students living anywhere on the island of Ireland. Entrants submit a complete PDF score for a small live ensemble; a recording or MIDI realisation is optional. The main challenge is creating coherent music that other performers can interpret, combining imaginative musical ideas, instrumental feasibility and precise notation rather than relying on the composer’s own performance.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, Fresh Film’s annual youth festival invites an original short film and offers screenings plus Ireland’s Young Filmmaker awards. Open to filmmakers aged 7–19, with Junior and Senior age bands and separate Island of Ireland and International entry categories. Entrants must complete a coherent short film within the relevant time limit, balancing story, direction, performance, sound and visual craft for selection and specialist award judging.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, C-SPAN StudentCam challenges students to make an original five to six minute documentary exploring a civic issue through research, contrasting viewpoints and relevant C-SPAN footage. Open to grades 6–12, including eligible international students, individually or in teams of up to three. The main challenge is turning verified evidence into a concise, balanced film with clear citations.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Intermediate, National PTA Reflections is a themed arts programme covering literature, visual art, music, film, photography, dance and an Accessible Arts pathway. Students enter through a participating local PTA or PTSA and follow local and state rules for their grade division and chosen category. The central challenge is turning a personal interpretation of the theme into a coherent original work and artist statement within category rules.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, EngineerTeen asks students to explain how an AI robot could learn safely and fairly in a real learning environment, combining an original narrative with a matching storyboard. Individuals worldwide enter the appropriate US grade band from grades 3–12, with adult approval. The challenge is connecting believable learning, ethical judgement and clear visual storytelling rather than building or programming a robot.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, A free international photography competition asking young entrants to tell a story about food through an original image. Photographers aged 17 or under enter directly online in either the 12 & under or 13-17 age group, with up to five entries. A competitive image needs technical control, a clear visual point of view and a food story that remains memorable without explanatory text.

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Rated Intermediate, Global Canvas is an international wildlife art competition inviting original artwork about ecosystem engineers in any medium. Children aged 4–16 can enter individually or in groups through an adult. The challenge is making a clear visual connection between an animal and the habitat it shapes, with thoughtful composition and age-appropriate craft.

QUICK SUMMARY

An all-Ireland art competition where young artists submit original artwork for judging across age-based categories. Open to residents of the island of Ireland under 19, entering individually through school, art school or home entry. Rated Intermediate Level, with difficulty mainly coming from artistic originality, technical quality and competitive national judging.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Intermediate, An international student art contest linking original hand-made artwork with ocean science and conservation; the 2027 theme is Navigate with Care. School or homeschool students worldwide in two age groups, 11–14 and 15–19, enter individually online with a teacher sponsor. Students must combine a researched interpretation of marine navigation with a convincing original two-dimensional artwork and document their process.