Since 1997, Wildlife Forever’s Art of Conservation® Program has engaged and empowered youth around the world in education that celebrates the arts as a cornerstone of conservation.
Each year, K – 12 youth put their pens, paints, and passions to paper to participate in two flagship programs:
Bird Art Contest™: Closes November 30 Annually (Winners Announced Late Winter)
Fish Art Contest™: Closes February 28 Annually (Winners Announced Late Spring)
Strengthened by a global network of partners and sponsors, these FREE interdisciplinary programs integrate art, writing, and science to foster lasting connections between children and nature. In the process, young artists become agents of positive change, creating artwork that sparks awareness, wonder, and conservation of our finned and feathered friends — as well as the wild places we all call home.
How to Enter
Art of Conservation’s Bird Art Contest and Fish Art Contest are FREE and open worldwide to all persons in grades K – 12 (ages 5 – 18).
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Review Wildlife Forever’s Rules and Guidelines with an adult. Newly revised in 2026 to encompass both the Bird and Fish Art Contests, these standardized guidelines are your “one-stop shop” for understanding contest eligibility and rules.
Then, follow instructions on the Rules and Guidelines and in your unique submission form to review guidelines for your specific geography (if applicable). Some U.S. states, for example, ask a few extra things of young artists to make the program a success — such as species limited to their local places or requirements for mailing physical artwork.
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After reading through guidelines on species in the Rules and Guidelines (TIP! Check out “Artwork Specifications”):
Select a species to base your artwork on. This will hopefully be a species that sparks wonder or curiosity. This may include species you are excited to learn more about and share with the world. Your artwork may even include multiple eligible species in a community or ecosystem!
Please note that entries MUST feature a wild bird or wild fish in a natural habitat (e.g., not a domesticated or captive animal).
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Use books and reputable online resources to research your selected specie(s). I
You may also use your own skills of observations, while being mindful of kind, respectful coexistence with fellow animals. Can you observe your chosen species, or the habitats it calls home, in nearby nature? If so, how do these observations shape your creative expression of its special behaviors and adaptations (how it moves, how it camouflages, how it attracts attention, how it feeds, etc.).?
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Create a hand-made, original illustration of your species. Exact copies of a photo or other artist’s work will be disqualified. Any 2D medium is acceptable.
Artwork must not exceed 11”x17” in size. To ensure the quality of the submission, artwork is scanned, and office scanners cannot accommodate pieces larger than this size. If you plan to mail artwork that is on a material other than paper, please keep it under 2” in thickness—lighter and smaller pieces help reduce shipping costs.
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Create a personally written piece of creative writing or essay (one side of one page) sharing what you learned. Essays are not required for K-3 and international participants.
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With the help of an adult, visit the Bird Art Contest or Fish Art Contest webpages to complete your online submission form (required for ALL participants in ALL geographies).
To complete the online submission form, you will also need an adult’s help to prepare your artwork. Revisit the Rules and Guidelines for recommendations for scanning your artwork digitally, and if applicable for your specific state or region, preparing physical artwork for mailing.
NOTE: Some U.S. states require physical mailed submissions in addition to the online submission form. However, mail-in submissions are OPTIONAL or NOT PERMITTED for most states and geographies. Be sure to consult your regionally specific requirements! If applicable, mail-ins must be no larger than 11" x 17" and 2" thick.