# 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 free; 9 can be done online. ## Programs (26 total) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [River of Words Environmental Poetry & Art Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/river-of-words-environmental-poetry-art-contest) | Library of Congress | Free | virtual | Grades 5–12 | 2027-01-31 | | [SCAD Rising Star Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/savannah-college-art-design-rising) | Savannah College of Art and Design | $3,500 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | Rolling | | [Doodle for Google Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/doodle-4-google) | Google | Free | virtual | Grades 4–12 | 2026-12-17 | | [National Art Honor Society](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-art-honor-society) | National Art Education Association | $25 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-31 | | [River of Words Environmental Poetry and Art Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/river-of-words-contest) | ROW | Free | virtual | Grades 5–12 | 2027-01-31 | | [National Portfolio Day](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-portfolio-day) | National Portfolio Day Association | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2026-10-31 | | [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 | | [Processing Foundation Creative Coding](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/processing-foundation-creative-coding) | Processing Foundation | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [SCAD Pre-College Summer Art & Design Intensive](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/scad-pre-college-summer-art-design) | Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) | $4,500 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-05-28 | | [ArtCenter College of Design Pre-College Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/artcenter-college-of-design-pre-college) | ArtCenter College of Design | $3,000 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-15 | | [Congressional Art Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/art-competition-congressional) | U.S. House of Representatives | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-30 | | [Ocean Awareness Contest First Place](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ocean-awareness-contest-first-place) | Bow Seat | Free | virtual | Grades 6–12 | 2027-06-08 | | [NSPA Photojournalism Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/photojournalism-contest) | National Scholastic Press Association | $15 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-06-01 | | [School of the Art Institute of Chicago Early College](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/school-of-the-art-institute-of-chicago-early-college) | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | $5,500 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ceramic-arts-daily-student-show) | Ceramic Arts Network | $20 | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-14 | | [Ocean Awareness Contest](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ocean-awareness) | Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs | Free | virtual | Grades 11–18 | 2027-06-08 | | [Cooper Union Summer Art Intensive](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/cooper-union-summer-art-intensive) | The Cooper Union | $2,700 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-03-27 | | [Boca Raton Museum of Art](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/boca-raton-museum-of-art) | Boca Raton Museum of Art | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [MassArt Summer Studios](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/massart-summer-studios) | Massachussetts College of Art and Design | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-01 | | [UC Berkeley embaRC Design Academy](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/uc-berkeley-embarc-design-academy) | UC Berkeley | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-01 | | [Whitney Museum Youth Insights](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/whitney-museum-youth-insights) | Whitney Museum of American Art | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [MCA Chicago Teen Creative Agency](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/mca-chicago-teen-creative-agency) | Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/federal-junior-duck-stamp-program) | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Not listed | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Youth Mentorship in the Arts](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/new-urban-arts-youth-mentorship) | New Urban Arts | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Project Open Door](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/risd-project-open-door) | Rhode Island School of Design | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Walker Art Center Teen Arts Council (WACTAC)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/walker-art-center-teen-arts-council) | Walker Art Center | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | Rolling | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many visual arts programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 26 verified visual arts opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these visual arts programs free? Yes — 17 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: National Portfolio Day (October 31, 2026); Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - Gold Medal Portfolio (December 1, 2026); Doodle for Google Competition (December 17, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Do visual arts extracurriculars help with college admissions? Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in visual arts (participation → awards or leadership → independent work) reads far stronger than scattered one-off activities. Pick one or two programs from this page and go deep. ## Related pages - [Arts for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/arts) - [Design Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/design) - [Film & Video Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/film) - [Music Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/music) - [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/visual-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.