# Free Arts Programs for High School Students Every program on this page costs $0 to attend — cost should never be the reason a strong student skips arts opportunities. Many free programs are more selective than paid ones precisely because they are funded; treat their deadlines seriously. 205 verified programs match this page; 30 of the featured listings are free; 8 can be done online. ## Programs (205 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Young Playwrights Festival](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/young-playwrights-festival) | Young Playwrights Inc. | Free | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-01-29 | | [National High School Musical Theatre Awards (Jimmy Awards)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/jimmy-awards) | Broadway League | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-18 | | [National Youth Orchestra of the USA (NYO-USA)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/carnegie-hall-nyo-usa) | Carnegie Hall | Free | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [Davidson Fellows Scholarship - Music Category](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/davidson-institute-fellows) | Davidson Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-18 | | [National Student Poets Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-student-poets-program) | Institute of Museum and Library Services | Free | hybrid | Grades 10–11 | 2026-08-01 | | [Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/al-neuharth-free-spirit) | Freedom Forum | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [Windsor Festival International String Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/windsor-festival-international-string-competition) | Windsor Festival | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-07-29 | | [Virginia Film Festival](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/virginia-film-festival) | Virginia Film Festival, University of Virginia | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-07-14 | | [Carnegie Hall NYO Jazz](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/carnegie-hall-nyo-jazz) | Carnegie Hall | Free | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2026-12-01 | | [Let the Peoples Sing Choral Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/let-the-peoples-sing) | European Broadcasting Union (EBU) | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [St Albans International Organ Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/st-albans-international-organ-competition) | St Albans International Organ Festival | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-05 | | [Queen Elisabeth Music Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/queen-elisabeth-music-competition) | Queen Elisabeth Competition | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-25 | | [National PTA Reflections Program National Award](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-pta-reflections-program-national-award) | National PTA | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-01 | | [Primrose International Viola Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/primrose-international-viola-competition) | Colburn School & American Viola Society | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-15 | | [Why Mom Deserves a Diamond Writing Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/why-mom-deserves-a-diamond-contest) | Why Mom Deserves a Diamond, Inc. | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-12 | | [Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/queens-commonwealth-essay-competition) | Royal Commonwealth Society | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-30 | | [Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - Gold Medal Portfolio](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/scholastic-art-writing-awards-gold-medal-portfolio) | Alliance for Young Artists & Writers | Free | virtual | Grades 7–12 | 2026-12-01 | | [NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ncte-writing-achievement-awards) | National Council of Teachers of English | Free | virtual | Grades 11–12 | 2027-02-15 | | [Lincoln Forum Scholarship Essay Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/lincoln-forum-scholarship-essay-contest) | The Lincoln Forum | Free | virtual | Grades 11–12 | 2026-07-31 | | [Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/joan-sutherland-richard-bonynge-bel-canto-award) | Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-15 | | [Commonwealth Short Film Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/commonwealth-government-film-competition) | The Royal Commonwealth Society | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Polyphony Lit Magazine](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/polyphony-lit) | Polyphony Lit | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-30 | | [Toru Takemitsu Composition Award](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/tru-takemitsu-composition-award) | Tokyo Opera City Cultural Foundation | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-30 | | [Long-Thibaud-Crespin International Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/long-thibaud-crespin-competition) | Fondation Long-Thibaud | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-08-01 | | [Movies Askew High School Film Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/movies-askew) | Portland Community Media (Open Signal) | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Thomas & Evon Cooper International Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/thomas-evon-cooper-international-competition) | Oberlin Conservatory of Music | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-01 | | [The Animation Show Student Film Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/the-animation-show) | The Animation Show | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/metropolitan-opera-council-auditions) | Metropolitan Opera | Free | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2026-07-31 | | [JCamp High School Journalism](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/jcamp-high-school-journalism) | Asian American Journalists Association | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-11 | | [Sydney Eisteddfod Music Competitions](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/sydney-eisteddfod) | Sydney Eisteddfod | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-20 | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many free arts programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 205 verified free arts opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these free arts programs free? Yes — 30 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early. ### Which deadlines are coming up soonest? The next deadlines: Virginia Film Festival (July 14, 2026); Windsor Festival International String Competition (July 29, 2026); Lincoln Forum Scholarship Essay Contest (July 31, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Why are these programs free? Most free programs are funded by universities, government agencies, or nonprofits with a mission to broaden access. Free rarely means easy to get into — funded programs are often the most selective. ## Related pages - [Free for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free) - [Virtual & Online Arts Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/virtual/arts) - [Arts for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/arts) - [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars) - [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit) --- Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free/arts Source: ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) — a free directory of 1,826 verified extracurricular programs for high school students. Cite the canonical page above; always confirm binding details on each program's official site.