A painted underwater scene featuring a marlin, dolphins, and school of fish, with a speech bubble saying, 'Engaging youth in the outdoors through conservation, creative arts, and writing.'

Painting of a bird perched on a branch with pink blossoms in the background. A quote in a white brushstroke reads, 'Art stirs strong emotions that can shift thinking and spur action' - nps.gov.

A colorful painting of a fish jumping out of water with a splash, with mountains and sunlight in the background. Text on the image reads: 'Featuring the International Fish and Songbird Art Contest.'

Illustration of birds, insects, and autumn leaves with a text overlay about engaging youth in conservation, arts, and writing.

Painting of two bright orange fish swimming among green aquatic plants, with a message about science and art contributing to environmental responsibility.

A watercolor painting of a songbird perched on a branch among green leaves, with a white speech bubble containing the text: 'Featuring the International Fish and Songbird Art Contest'.

Painting of a marlin fish leaping out of the ocean with smaller fish in the background and a splash of water. A speech bubble contains the text: 'Engaging youth in the outdoors through conservation, creative arts, and writing.'

Painting of a small bird with a quote bubble that says, 'Art stirs strong emotions that can shift thinking and spur action' - nps.gov, set among pink blossoms on a tree branch.

A colorful painting of a fish jumping out of water near the sunset, with a speech bubble that says, 'Featuring the International Fish and Songbird Art Contest.'

Colorful painting of two birds, one red and one gray, and a dragonfly, with autumn leaves in the background. Text overlay: "Engaging youth in the outdoors through conservation, creative arts, and writing."

A colorful mural of two orange fish swimming among green aquatic plants with a message about conservation.

Watercolor painting of a songbird perched on a branch amidst green leaves with a white brushstroke containing the text 'Featuring the International Fish and Songbird Art Contest.'

The Wildlife Forever Art of Conservation contest series was created to inspire and connect youth to the outdoors. Using art, writing, and science-based lessons, the programs highlight conservation issues and the need to conserve fish, wildlife and wild places around the world.

How to Enter

The Fish and Songbird Art Contest is free and open to all persons in grades K-12 (aged 5-18 years old).

Review the Contest Rules and Guidelines with an adult. The Fish and Songbird Art will have their respective guidelines to review and sign.
Select a species to base your artwork on. Note: Fish Art entries MUST feature a wild fish in a natural habitat.
Use books and reputable online resources to research your selected specie(s).
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.
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.
Complete a contest entry form to complete your submission. Forms and artwork can be submitted digitally or mailed in. Mail-ins must be no larger than 11" x 17" and 2" thick.

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