Visual Arts Programs & Competitions for High School Students

Portfolio-building intensives, juried competitions like Scholastic Art & Writing, and pre-college studio programs — this page is for students whose application centers on made work.

For art-school-bound students the portfolio IS the application; for everyone else, a national art award adds a dimension most STEM-heavy applications lack.

26 verified programs match this page; 17 of the featured listings are completely free; 9 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 26+ curated programs for high school students:

• River of Words Environmental Poetry & Art Contest — Library of Congress: Environmental poetry and art competition for K-12 students.
• SCAD Rising Star Program — Savannah College of Art and Design: Elevate your art skills in this in-person summer program for high school students. Build your portfolio, gain hands-on experience, and prepare for col
• Doodle for Google Competition — Google: Showcase your creativity in this national arts competition! Design a Google Doodle for a chance to be featured on Google.com. Perfect for building you
• National Art Honor Society — National Art Education Association: Join the National Art Honor Society to showcase visual arts talent, gain service experience, and boost college applications. Perfect for creative high
• River of Words Environmental Poetry and Art Contest — ROW: Celebrate nature through poetry and art in this free environmental competition for grades 5-12. Boost creative skills and enhance college applications
• National Portfolio Day — National Portfolio Day Association: Free portfolio reviews from art school representatives at events nationwide. Essential for art school applicants.
• Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - Gold Medal Portfolio — Alliance for Young Artists & Writers: Highest honor in Scholastic Awards for exceptional art or writing portfolios. Past winners include Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath.
• Processing Foundation Creative Coding — Processing Foundation: Free creative coding resources and community. Learn Processing/p5.js to create digital art and interactive media.
• SCAD Pre-College Summer Art & Design Intensive — Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): Immersive pre-college summer program at SCAD campuses in Savannah and Atlanta for high school students to build a portfolio and study art, design, fil
• ArtCenter College of Design Pre-College Program — ArtCenter College of Design: Intensive pre-college art and design program at ArtCenter in Pasadena for high school students to explore industrial design, graphic design, film, ill
• Congressional Art Competition — U.S. House of Representatives: Showcase your talent in this national art competition for high schoolers. Winners' artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol—boost your skills and college
• Ocean Awareness Contest First Place — Bow Seat: Art, writing, film, music about ocean conservation. $1,500+ prizes.
• NSPA Photojournalism Contest — National Scholastic Press Association: Showcase your photography skills in this high school photojournalism competition. Develop visual storytelling expertise and boost college applications
• School of the Art Institute of Chicago Early College — School of the Art Institute of Chicago: Art program at SAIC with access to world-class museum. Studio courses and critiques at leading art school.
• National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition — Ceramic Arts Network: Showcase your ceramic art in the National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition! High school students can enhance skills, gain recognition, and boost college applic
• Ocean Awareness Contest — Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs: Join this national arts competition focused on ocean conservation. Perfect for high school students to showcase creativity, build skills, and win up t
• Cooper Union Summer Art Intensive — The Cooper Union: Transform your artistic skills with this in-person summer program for high schoolers. Gain portfolio-ready work, studio experience, and expert critiqu
• Boca Raton Museum of Art — Boca Raton Museum of Art: Lead tours for school groups and visitors, sharing your passion for art.
• MassArt Summer Studios — Massachussetts College of Art and Design: Summer art and design studios at MassArt in Boston covering drawing, painting, fashion, animation, and more.
• UC Berkeley embaRC Design Academy — UC Berkeley: Architecture and design summer academy at UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design.
• Whitney Museum Youth Insights — Whitney Museum of American Art: Free after-school and summer art programs for NYC high schoolers at the Whitney, working directly with contemporary artists and museum staff; includes
• MCA Chicago Teen Creative Agency — Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: The MCA's cultural leadership program for Chicago-area teens: weekly Saturday sessions from September to June making art and producing public events,
• Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program — U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's national art-and-conservation contest: K-12 students submit waterfowl artwork through state contests, and the nat
• Youth Mentorship in the Arts — New Urban Arts: Free year-round arts mentorship at New Urban Arts' Providence studio: high schoolers work with artist mentors October-May, with free bus passes, tutor
• Project Open Door — Rhode Island School of Design: Free art and design program from RISD for high schoolers in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket — Saturday portfolio studio, after-sc
• Walker Art Center Teen Arts Council (WACTAC) — Walker Art Center: Paid teen council at Minneapolis's Walker Art Center: 11th-12th graders meet weekly during the school year with contemporary artists and plan events l

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