Illinois art contest invites students to explore the idea of community
Deadline is Dec. 18 to enter ‘My Community, My Story’ contest
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Young artists are getting a chance to let their imaginations soar on the theme “My Community, My Story” in the annual student art contest sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the Illinois State Board of Education.
Everyone is shaped in some way by a community: a hometown, a campus, a team, an online group. And each person, in turn, helps shape their community. This art contest offers students the chance to celebrate their communities or critique them, and to show how their story intertwines with the larger story of the whole community.
The deadline to submit entries is Dec. 18. The contest is open to Illinois students from kindergarten through high school. Entries may include any two-dimensional artwork that measures no larger than 11-by-14 inches.
The contest is divided into four groups: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Each grade group will have a winner and two runners-up. The winners will be announced March 8, 2027, to commemorate Arts Education Week.
All winners and runners-up will have their work displayed by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum through May 9, and the artwork of the four winners will be used on a poster sent to schools to celebrate Arts Education Week, March 8-12. The winner will also be recognized at an ISBE Board meeting, and a framed copy will hang in the boardroom.
“Community means something a little different to each person, so we’re excited to see students use art to express their own experiences, hopes and dreams,” said Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “In 2027, the ALPLM will add a permanent exhibit called ‘Citizen City’ that shows children the value of contributing to their communities and helping their neighbors. This contest offers a creative way for students to share the impact of community in their own lives.”
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Two-dimensional submissions may be up to 11 inches by 14 inches. They cannot feature copyrighted characters (Spider-Man and Mickey Mouse, for example). More details are available at bit.ly/APLM-ArtContest. Entries do not have to be submitted via schools; youth groups, home-educated children, or anyone else can participate. All that is required is that the artist is a student at any public, private, alternative, or home school in Illinois.
“Art gives students a unique way to express who they are and how they see the world around them,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. “This contest invites young people to reflect on the communities that shape them and share their stories through creativity. We look forward to seeing the many ways Illinois students capture the people, places, and experiences that matter most to them.”
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum uses a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship to immerse visitors in Lincoln’s life and times. The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books, documents, photographs, artifacts and art, as well as roughly 13 million items pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history. For more information, visit www.PresidentLincoln.illinois.gov. You can follow the ALPLM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The mission of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is to provide each and every child with safe and healthy learning conditions, great educators, and equitable opportunities by practicing data-informed stewardship of resources and policy development, all done in partnership with educators, families, and stakeholders. The vision of the ISBE is that each and every child is equipped to make meaningful contributions to society and live life to its fullest potential.
