Organizer Information:
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs. An organization that uses art as a tool for research, discovery, and empowerment, contributing to the largest youth environmental arts collection in the world.
Title & Description:
Applications are open for the 2026 Ocean Awareness Contest.
The 2026 Theme is "Your Story, Our Ocean: How Our Ocean Sustains, Protects, and Inspires Us." Students are invited to explore their personal connection to the ocean—whether coastal or landlocked—and share how the ocean has shaped their story.
Category:
Multidisciplinary (Visual Art, Handcrafted, Digital, Creative Writing, Film, Interactive & Multimedia, Performing Arts, Music & Dance, Poetry & Spoken Word).
Eligibility:
- Who: Open to middle and high school students worldwide. (Note: Students who have started college or university are strictly ineligible).
- Age Divisions: * Junior Division: Ages 11–14.
- Senior Division: Ages 15–18.
- (Note: Participants under 13 MUST have a parent/legal guardian complete a COPPA Consent Form).
- AI Ban: The use of AI generators (like ChatGPT or DALL-E) is considered plagiarism. Any participant who submits AI-generated work will be disqualified immediately and their sponsor will be notified.
- Adult Sponsor: All student participants MUST provide the contact information for an Adult Sponsor (teacher, parent, guardian, mentor, etc.).
- Submission Limits: Students may submit only ONE entry per category (maximum of 7 different submissions). Groups are permitted and have no size limits.
Program Benefits & Awards:
Cash awards are presented in all categories for both the Junior and Senior Divisions:
- Gold Award: $1,000
- Silver Award: $750
- Bronze Award: $500
- Pearl Award: $250
- Distinguished Honorable Mention: $50
- Honorable Mention: $50
- Special Awards: Include the We All Rise Prize ($500 awards for US-based Black, Indigenous, and Latine youth), Smithsonian Creativity in Resilience Award ($250), Voice of the Sea Award ($500 for spoken word), and regional Massachusetts awards.
Application Fee & Program Costs:
- Application Fee: Free to apply.
Application Requirements:
- Written Reflection: ALL submissions must include a written reflection (100–300 words in English) detailing the creative process and what was learned about the theme.
- Progress Proof: Visual Art (Handcrafted and Digital) submissions MUST include a progress photo, a photo of the artist with the work, or a screenshot of the digital program workspace to verify authenticity.
- Works Cited: A bibliography is required if any ideas, facts, quotes, or existing media used are not the student's own.
How to Apply?
Students must create an account and submit their work, reflection, and sponsor details via the official Bow Seat online portal.
Key Dates:
- Application Deadline: June 8, 2026, at 11:59 PM EDT.
- Results Announced: November 2026.
Location:
Global / Online.
Contact Information:
Website & Application Link: https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest/contest-overview/