Contests and College Fairs
Below are lists of contests and college fairs. Submitting work to contests is a fantastic way for creative students to receive recognition for their work. Virtual college fairs are a great way for you to learn about colleges from the comfort of your living room. I continue to add contests and college fair information as I learn of it so check back often.
Contests
Unlike student-athletes who are able to build their resumes and showcase their skills on the playing fields, creative students must seek out contests to enter, so I encourage you to enter these and other contests as they apply to your art. I always encourage students to view the past winners which will give you an idea of the types of submissions expected. Please feel free to share any contests with me as well. Need help with submissions? Let’s talk today.
American Protege Music Competitions are for (unrepresented) musicians to showcase their skills in the areas of: romantic music, woodwinds and brass, piano and strings, concerto, vocal, and pop. The winners perform on the main stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Deadlines vary by contest so check the website.
Congressional Art Competition is held every spring with entries submitted to your congressional representative and winners’ artwork is displayed in the rotunda for the year. Deadlines vary by congressional office but are mostly between mid March and mid April, you must check with your representative for details.
Musical Theatre Songwriters Challenge is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, winning songs are recorded by broadway stars and distributed on several streaming platforms. The application opens in mid spring, winners are announced mid summer.
National Association for Music Education sponsors an annual student songwriting contest for two age categories: Elementary/Middle School (K-8) and High School (9-12). Up to six selected composers will receive cash awards, but all entrants will receive written evaluations of their compositions. Deadline for the contest is in early April.
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are open to all students aged 13 and up, held in the fall each year. Students can submit entries in 28 categories for both the visual arts and writing. Entries are judged first regionally with Gold Key winners advancing to the national competition where scholarship awards are given. Deadlines vary by region but are usually between late November and early January each year.
Stuck at Prom is one of my favorite contest because the entries are both outrageous and creative, and I can’t imagine the weight or the insulation value of wearing any of the entries during prom season. Even better, Duck Tape awards up to $20,000 in scholarships to the winners. Entries are due in early June. Judging is crowdsourced and winners are announced in July. Even if you don’t enter I encourage you to check out the past winners and see that you really can solve every problem with duck tape.
YoungArts is one of the premier contests for visual, literary, or performing artist students 15 to 18 years old. There are categories for classical music, dance, design artist, film, jazz, photography, theatre, visual arts, voice and writing. The contest opens annually in June and submissions are due in mid-October. Check the website for past winners and information on submitting entries specific to your art.
An aggregate site for almost 100 competitions is Competition Sciences which lists contests in a myriad of areas including (but not at all limited to): architecture, math, environmental sciences and law, geography, history, poetry, and business.
College Fair Hosts
The organizations below all host college fairs. All fairs are virtual unless noted, I make every effort to keep this information up to date but I encourage you to check the links and verify the dates and times (all times are EST unless noted). Also, keep in mind that even if a fair has passed, the websites for the organizations are usually full of helpful information.
National Portfolio Day is a combination of college fair and portfolio review/critique for visual arts students. Up to 50 colleges attend each fair giving students the opportunity to learn more about each school but more importantly allowing students a short portfolio review with an admissions representative. ARTriculate HIGHLY recommends that students attend National Portfolio Day starting in 10th grade. NPD is the best opportunity for visual artists and film students to receive feedback from admissions professionals who review portfolios for their colleges. While many cities have returned to in person events, there are still a number of virtual reviews each year.
Hillel College Fair Learn more about the Hillel organizations at over 200 campuses in the U.S. and Canada.
Music Admissions Roundtable Hosts college fairs in the fall and spring for students interested in music performance, vocal and composition.
NACAC College Fairs The National Association of College Admission Counseling holds virtual college fairs throughout the year. Some are specialized by region or interest area. Check their website for upcoming dates.
There is a lot of information available to inform your college decisions but if you need 1:1 college and application guidance please call.