The submission period for the 2026 ARTEFFECT Competition is open from October 1, 2025 to April 21, 2026.
The ARTEFFECT Competition invites submissions from all middle and high school students interested in making a positive impact through their art. The judging panel will give the most consideration to entries that celebrate the Unsung Hero’s contribution in a high-quality artwork that is visually compelling and original in concept. There is no entry fee.
To create a submission, you will need to create a Submittable account using an email account that you can verify. Educators can use their email to make multiple submissions on behalf of their students. You are encouraged to submit at least one day in advance to allow time for any troubleshooting.
2026 ARTEFFECT Competition Submission Guidelines and Checklist
Estimated time to complete: 20-30 minutes
1. Check Eligibility
Grades 6-12, individual project, and no AI used. See Competition Guidelines and FAQs.
2. Choose Your Unsung Hero
Pick from the approved list on the Unsung Heroes Directory or get approval by email: arteffect@lowellmilken.org.
3. Create Your Artwork
Original 2D, digital, mixed media, or 3D artwork. Review the Judging Rubric.
4. Write Your Impact Statement
500-1000 words answering the required prompts. Please submit your Impact Statement in English.
5. Submit on Submittable
Following along with these step by step Submission Guide, fill out this form, submit art images, and Impact Statement by April 21, 2026 (11:59 PT). We encourage all applicants to submit at least one day before the deadline. Late submissions are not accepted. You can save a draft of your application.
Submission Confirmations:
For Students: After submitting your artwork, you will receive an email confirmation from Submittable. To ensure you receive this email, please add the "notifications@email.submittable.com" email to your email contact list or safelist. If you do not receive a confirmation email, contact us at arteffect@lowellmilken.org or log into your Submittable account to confirm your application status.
For Sponsor Teachers: If you would like to follow up on application submissions and confirmations for your students, please email us at arteffect@lowellmilken.org.
Need help submitting?
You can send Submittable an email with their form here: https://submittable1.my.site.com/submittablehelp/s/14873512
NOTE: Submittable will respond within business hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM MT, Monday-Friday.
For any technical assistance while submitting, you can reach out to the ARTEFFECT team at arteffect@lowellmilken.org for any questions about your application.