Each year, more than 4,000 high school students from across the country participate in the VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest.
The contest began in 1979 to recognize up-and-coming artists and encourage patriotism in youth. This contest comprises only two-dimensional entries.
New this program year (2022-23) is the Three-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest, exclusively for three-dimensional art pieces.
Both contests are for students in grades 9 to 12 by the March 31 deadline who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the United States, its territories and possessions or dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools.
Although U.S. citizenship is not required, students must be permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence status (the application for which has not been denied) to become a U.S. citizen.
Foreign exchange students, students age 20 or older, GED and adult education students or national winners of previous Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contests are ineligible.
For the Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest, the first-place winner from each state will compete for national awards totaling $34,000.
Two-dimensional art must be on canvas or paper. Watercolor, pencil, pastel, charcoal, tempera, crayon, acrylic, pen, ink, oil, marker or other media taught may be used. Do not frame two-dimensional pieces.
Submit canvas entries on a stretcher frame or canvas board. Other entries, if matted, must be matted in white. Do not use color mats. Reinforce the back with heavy paper. Mounted and floating mats also may be used.
The art should be no smaller than 8-by-10 inches but no larger than 18-by-24 inches, not including mat. Complete the entry form and attach to the back of the entry, and submit a typed explanation of patriotism expressed in art (250 words or less).
For the Three-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest, the first-place winner from each state will compete for national awards totaling $4,000.
Three-dimensional art can be paper, papier-mâché, pottery, clay, metal work, fabric, etc.
Pieces should be no larger than 18 inches in any direction. Art cannot be more than 5 pounds in weight. Complete the entry form and submit with the entry, and submit a typed explanation of patriotism expressed in art (250 words or less).
Digital art, photography and jewelry are not accepted for either contest.
For an entry form, visit vfwauxiliary.org/scholarships and click on “Patriotic Art Contests.”
Entries for all contests must be dropped off to Barger at the clerk-treasurer’s office at Seymour City Hall, 301-309 N. Chestnut St., by 4:30 p.m. March 31.
For information, contact Barger at [email protected] or 812-498-2686.