Reflections Art Contest 2026-2027

National PTA has a long-standing commitment to arts education. The Reflections program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts which boost student confidence and success in the arts and in life.

Each year, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. This 50+ year-old program helps them explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life.

Participation is organized by student age and grade levels. Student works are critiqued against others in the same grade division. This allows recognition and judging of artworks by appropriate developmental age and skill levels. The grade divisions for Arrowhead are:

• Primary: Pre-school – Grade 2
• Intermediate: Grades 3 – 5
• Elementary Accessible Arts: K–5

Official rules and student entry packet

Accessible Arts Rules can be found here under “Accessible Arts Division”

Contest Information

Students may enter as many categories as they would like. Arrowhead will be submitting 20 general entries and 6 additional special category entries.

The deadline for the 2026-2027 submissions is November 20.

Categories and Divisions

Students submit their completed works of art in one or all of the available arts categories:

• Literature – works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, prose, drama, short stories and lyrics.
• Music Composition – original musical composition, with or without words.
• Photography: color or black and white, included techniques: photogram, negative sandwich, and multiple exposure.
• Visual Arts: drawing, painting in tempera, oil, acrylic, watercolor & t-shirt paints, computer generated art, two-dimensional collage, printmaking, needlework & leather tooling.
• Film/Video: original works, with or without sound, of animation, narrative, documentary, experimental or music video/film.
• Choreography/Dance: originally choreographed dance composition.

2026 Guidelines for each category can be found here under “Student Entry Guidelines”.

How to Enter

• Decide which category you want to submit an entry into. You can enter into multiple categories, but only one entry per student per category.
• Create your art!
• Submit your artwork online by 11/20
• Once submitted, bring your physical projects (paintings, drawings, sculptures, ect.) to the Arrowhead Office by 11/20.

Questions? email reflections@ptaarrowhead.org.

Northshore PTSA Council Art Show!

Every year, those artists who have a project selected to move onto the council for judging, will have their artwork displayed at the council Reflections art show. Dates and times will be announced in December. The show is usually in January. We will send out information to artists and their families as the council shares dates.