CALLING ALL YOUTH ARTISTS!

Northwest Steelheaders is crossing boundaries into new waters, and we’re looking for your talented artwork to help us move into a new era of salmon conservation. Our competition is open to students in Oregon and Washington, grades K-12 . The theme is Crossing Boundaries, so we’re looking for artwork that portrays our mission to dive headlong into new waters for salmon and steelhead conservation. Some ideas are: salmon conservation, clean water protection, dam removal, habitat restoration, stewardship, engaging with all communities, and including women and girls in fishing! These are just ideas to get the creative juices flowing, you can be more abstract and change it up a bit, so long as your artwork description fits the theme.

Our goal this year is to invite fresh perspectives to conservation. Not only are we fighting barriers to salmon and steelhead recovery with our Snake River dam removal campaign, we’re also expanding our educational programs! We’re working to overcome financial obstacles to fishing and environmental education by extending the reach of our Fish Eggs to Fry program, offering Family Fish Camp scholarships in increasing numbers, and partnering with organizations whose mission is to serve underserved communities. We’re also launching our Women’s Program to bridge the divide between outdoorsmen and women and offer novice and seasoned female anglers a safe place to hone their skills and learn from mentors that share their experiences.

Submission Deadline

Please fill out this required form and submit your artwork by July 5th to enter the contest. To submit your artwork, email a scanned copy/digital version to office@anws.org or mail the original to 6641 SE Lake Rd., Milwaukie, OR. 97222. We will announce the winners on July 15th.

Judging & Prizes

A panel of judges will select a first place winner and a runner-up in three age groups.

  • First Place: $100
  • Runner Up: National Wildlife Federation gift.
  • The grand prize winner will be selected from the three first place grade-level winners. The grand prize will be a fishing day trip for you and a parent/guardian with one of our best volunteers! Gear, lunch, and fishing instruction will be provided.

    In choosing the grand prize winner, judges pay particular attention to the concept or story that the artwork tells. We encourage artists to pay attention to the theme, Crossing Boundaries.

    The art will be judged on four primary artistic elements:

  • Concept: How well does the work relate to the Crossing Boundaries theme?
  • Composition: How well do the elements of line and form work together?
  • Color: How does color enhance the artwork?
  • Expression: How imaginatively does the work convey an idea or emotion?

  • Requirements

    The artwork must be original. It is critical that submitted artwork not be overly derivative of images found on the Internet, in print media, or elsewhere. To avoid copyright infringement, works thought to be copies will be disqualified.

    Mailed in artwork must be submitted on an 8 ½ x 11 inches or smaller surface, must lay flat, and cannot be folded. Scanned/electronically submitted artwork cannot exceed 3000 x 3000 pixels.

    Media: We accept artwork done in crayon, ink, acrylics, oil paint, pastels, watercolor, colored pencils, scratchboard, color marker, chalk, pastels, charcoal, paper collage, or digital drawing.

    No lettering or words may appear on the front of the artwork besides a small signature in the bottom right-hand corner. Lettering that is creatively incorporated into the art (such as a posted sign) is allowed. Submissions that include prohibited writing will not be judged.

    You must include a title and written description (1-3 paragraphs) explaining the concept/story of the piece.

    All artwork becomes the property of the Northwest Steelheaders. Submission of the artwork grants the Northwest Steelheaders a non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license to publish your student’s/child’s artwork in Northwest Steelheaders editorial, educational, and promotional print and digital materials, in our promotional and educational posts to social media, and for all other lawful uses—including artwork print sales—in furtherance of the Coalition’s mission. All published artwork will be credited with a copyright notice in the following form: “C: Artist’s Name.”

    We're excited to see what you come up with!

    Please email us at office@anws.org if you have any questions.