When your kid makes a piece of art, they’re also building confidence, processing feelings, and creating connections. That’s what we’re celebrating with the Outschool Visual Arts Showcase—and your kid could win up to $1,000 USD* in prize value, a one-year Outschool Membership and a billboard in Times Square!







Hello! I love creating digital art on my iPad. I specifically love drawing people and or animals. What inspired my piece was lotus flowers, which you can find on the outside of the drawing. They're one of my favourite flowers, and I love drawing them. I wanted to create an art piece where I could draw a whole bunch of them! I love how colorful the drawing is; it makes me feel happy. I just love looking at it!


My name is Evie. I’m homeschooled and I have been taking art class for 3 years with Ms. Z. I chose to draw penguins and title my piece Love In All Things, because God gave love to all creatures great and small. You can see that penguins love each other because they look after their chicks. It makes me feel good, because God loves penguins and so He must love us. It also reminds me of God’s beauty and grace.

My name is Allen, and what inspires me is what my art piece is called - books and food. Food inspires me to try other foods when I grow up and books inspire me to become an author and read the longest book in the world. This art piece goes out to my art teacher, Mr. Christache!

I was inspired to make this drawing because I wanted to make an overpowered god-like creature for my own personal monster world. As I was making this creation I felt proud because I was noticing a pronounced upgrade in my drawings with detail, colors, and just overall vibrance or projection. So this is what inspired me to make this drawing, and thank you.

I live in Alaska I love animals, horses are my favorite animal. I have 2 pet parakeets, 2 pet cats, and 3 pet goats. I painted this piece in my watercolor class. I have never been very confident in drawing/painting people, this is one of the first paintings I have done of a person and I am very proud of how it turned out.


My name is Elsie H, this art work was inspired by my friend. I am very honoured to be in this contest. My oc Lizzy is very nice, funny, and loving. She loves to play guitar. She has a very nice smile and she likes to swim. Also, she loves the summertime. Thank you! - Elsie


Hi, I’m Aster, I’m 14 I love learning about the natural world, especially birds. I’ve decided to digitally draw 13 of my personal favourite bird species. from left to right; Common crow, Rufous-green kingfisher, European starling, Ruffed grouse, White-throated magpie-jay, Red-headed woodpecker, Eurasian siskin, Steller’s jay, Costa’s hummingbird, Great blue heron, Blue crane, Crested coua, Domesticated goose. I drew this in procreate. It took me 13 hours making it one of my hardest works yet.


Hello! I'm Nora, and I love to draw. I have been drawing since I could hold a crayon and hope to be an artist some day! I love digital art and like drawing people, realism, hands, eyes, or just simple characters!

So about myself, I always love musical pieces, playing instruments, and art. However, considering the fact that I don't even play the Guitar, I just thought that the instrument is a vibrant way of expressing my thought, and when I did this piece of art, I made sure to include a bit of colorful explosion. It gives me great joy when I finished my art .


I love the original and retro style animations. I wanted to create my favourite character in that style.

I created this piece to show the feeling that even when no one is around, something is still watching. I used a single eye to represent awareness and presence in silence. This piece made me feel both calm and uneasy at the same time, reminding me that we are never completely alone, even in stillness.

This is a collection of things that inspire me. It showcases me and my two favorite characters that I have created, as well as things that often show up in my art: a shark, eyes, fire, stars and waterfalls. The characters have been with me for years and have helped me when I didn't have friends or hated myself. The wires that go from the mouth to the eye show me and my oldest character's connection. The quote means a lot to me about finding myself. Colored pencils in my sketchbook, 10+ hours.


My name is Kai, and I’m 9 years old. I loooove drawing. I have been drawing for a looooooooong time. And I drew this because the FIFA World Cup is coming soon, and I like playing soccer with my friends. I tried to make this art piece of 4 people playing soccer at school, not at a stadium. This piece makes me feel excited and want to play soccer and can’t wait to. My favorite soccer team is the Whitecaps.


Hi!My name is Alice and I am 6 years old. One day I laid down in the grass and looked up — the flower was SO BIG, bigger than my whole head! I thought: this is what it feels like to be a tiny bug. So magical! I painted the big flower, a bee (bees are flowers' best friends), hearts because nature fills my heart, and a mushroom (little bug houses). LOTS of colours because nature has lots! The world is SO BIG and SO BEAUTIFUL and I'm just a tiny little girl in it. Everyone should look up sometimes.

Hi! My name is Pip and I absolutely love drawing! It is my favorite hobby to do in my spare time. This is my piece “Two Birds are Better Than One.” This is one of my favorite pieces because it highlights the teamwork between two birds building a cozy nest together, it also shows that teamwork goes a long way. It makes the title come to life, showing that two birds really are better than just one bird.


Hi, my name is Addy! I have been taking drawing classes at Outschool for about a year now. I love to see my progress as the months go by. I was inspired to draw this piece because I enjoy drawing animals. Animals can involve a lot of motion and it helps me practice the techniques I have learned.

I got into art a few years ago. I tried out different styles, and I found I enjoyed fantasy drawings. My inspiration for this drawing was to make people feel as if they were in a fantasy world. The dragon I drew, the colors I used, and my background all conveyed a world of myths. It made me feel imaginative, creative, and proud of my work. I hope to create more pieces like this.

I am a girl with six siblings (five are half). My stuffies have always been my imaginary friends with their own personalities. They could talk to me (not in real life). We even played school. This bunny was always happy. When I felt sad, I would talk to this bunny and feel better. When I saw this bunny on my desk, I decided to draw it. Looking at this drawing I feel proud and confident of my artwork.

I really devote myself to drawing and really love drawing animals like cats and dogs! I am deeply proud of how far I’ve gotten in art!!! My piece was inspired by cats, because they’re so cool! (obviously.) It makes me feel very proud of how great I’ve gotten at art!!!

Hello, my name is Charlotte and I'm so happy to be in this contest! Something that inspired my art was the beautiful, colorful city and the beauty of being up high to see it, and at the same time feeling a calm stillness of being alone and sitting in the rain. I also really wanted to put my OC Nauro in it, and having him looking down on the city, which I think came out really nice! I really hope you like my art!


Hello I'm Milana! I really love to draw and I tried to explain through this drawing how much the sky and the stars means to me... It's like something you always look up to and that shines bright! I'm this drawing there's a dragon that grants the power of the little girl that can summon the northern lights with the background of the stars

My name is Aslan. I am 8 years old and I do an art class. This is one of my favorite projects from class and I wanted to put it in the contest. I used watercolor, oil pastels, and a picture of myself to create this piece. I feel happy when I look at this art and I hope you will, too!

Hi, I'm Kefira! This piece was inspired by my beloved bunny, Miss Baby Bunson (but we just call her Bunson). She passed away recently and I wanted to take this wonderful chance to honor her (rest in peace, Bun-Bun). She was a very sweet, lovable bunny and I feel that this artwork really captures her adorably curious self. I will cherish this piece forever and hang it in my room as soon as I get a frame!

Nature has always inspired and delighted me. I believe there is a story hidden in everything, and my ambition is to capture that in my art. This sketch expresses my feeling as I grow roots in a new community. "If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere." - Vincent van Gogh

My name is Gayle, and since I love books and they really inspire me I decided to draw about one to enter it. Books make me feel happy, so I made art that shows a magic book with a unicorn, a dragon and a sun made out of delicious kiwi. Anything can happen in a book, that's why they inspire me!

What inspired me to make this piece is symbolism. Symbolism has always been a big and inspirational part of my life. It has encouraged me to view the world and scenarios in many different ways, and has even encouraged me to start writing a book which will have a lot of symbolism. I loved making this piece and i hope you feel the same amount of joy as i did making it.

I am a lover of Japan and anime and love art. The characters are cool and I love their faces they make and how happy they look. I love using markers to make my drawings look real and make my art pictures for decorating my room so it can be like my own cool anime place!

My name is Cedar and I love to play, draw, paint, laugh, sing, dance and be helpful. I had so much fun painting and decorating this life size drawing of myself as a super she-ro! I like princesses and being able to help people, so I drew myself as a Princess She-ro. It made me feel strong and free!


My art piece was made in Procreate and I was inspired by nature, especially flowers and vines. Vines are all about growth, climbing with determination and strength. When they bloom, it is being reborn into something new and lush, so I put that thought into how I designed the artwork.

My piece was inspired by Dr. Seuss "The Lorax" and by the plaque that the Apollo 11 astronauts left on the Moon, declaring that they had come in peace for all mankind. Both inspired the main idea of the piece: everyone and everything is dependent upon everyone and everything else, and together we can do almost anything. Apollo 11 also gave my piece it's theme: space! I feel like I did a good job, especially on the Moon, and that my piece conveys what it's meant to convey.

I looked at a picture book of different styles of art and wanted to draw something like it, I didn't use the book but loved how different pictures looked. I sat down in my Grandma's kitchen and started drawing. I love my picture because I found I love drawing like this and it makes me happy.


Hi! I love drawing I started when my older cousin inspired me too draw. What inspired to make this art work is because of flexibility, I can do a hand stand so I thought why can't my paper! After I was finished and I read through the artwork page thing and I saw it said to be creative undecided to go for it! I added a lot of neon and shiny colors to make it pop I really enjoyed making the art work and I hope you did too :)

This piece was inspired by real life experiences and Victorian art. The girl is painting a raven, which represents grief. There is a sunset outside and an old willow tree. Her room is messy, but she still draws. This is a piece on loss, and time moving on without you. I used my grief from past experiences as my inspiration to get better at art, so that maybe, I can somehow reach them again. I know I probably won't win the competition, but I wanted to show that 'inspiration' can be anything.

This piece of art is inspired by a painting I enjoy looking at. I could imagine the fishermen heading out early in the morning hoping to catch a lot of fish and maybe see some whales and the beauty of the ocean. They would return home exhausted but nets filled with fish and their family happy to see them.

I love to read, write, and draw. The Wings of Fire series has inspired me a lot in my writing and my art. I've read the books and drawn the characters countless times. Every time I do, I find something new that inspires me and pushes me to keep creating. Glory is one of my favorite characters in the books, which is why I chose to draw her as my entry for this showcase.

My drawing is titled “Time.” It shows a watch my father received from his father and later gave to me. The watch is special because it has been passed down through my family. It reminds me of the strong connection between my grandfather, my dad, and me. When I see it, I think about the special moments we have shared. The watch makes me feel proud and more mature, and it represents our family tradition and the memories we will carry for generations.

My piece is inspired by Mom. She has loved me through everything and she will continue to inspire me throughout my life. The sun, moon, and star represent how a mother’s love is big enough to fill a universe. The tree and roots represent her steadiness and commitment.

I'm a digital and traditional artist; digital for four years and traditional for eight. What inspired me to make this piece was how my mind works, how I imagine myself when I come up with a story or world idea and how I'm able to pick up a pen and make it come to life. It makes me feel at peace and at home.

As a young child, I was terrified of tornadoes and extreme weather. As I've grown older, I've fallen in love with it instead! I now want to become a meteorologist and storm chaser. I hope to help save lives through accurate weather prediction. And I hope to inspire young people like myself who are terrified of strong storms they can't control. Tornadoes, like the El Reno tornado of May 31, 2013, inspire me to overcome my greatest fears!

Hi, my name is Audrey. I made this drawing of a mother and daughter growing up. It shows them at different stages of life, standing together. I was inspired by this because even though they are both growing and changing, one thing stays the same: they are always together. In my Outschool art classes, I’ve been learning how to make realistic drawings but usually my art style is a bit more cartoon-like. I tried to mix both of my styles in this drawing. I used colored pencils and pen.

I'm Anya, and I create art on Procreate and traditional. One of the main items in my life that inspires me and my creative work is nature. Even outside in my neighborhood, I can find inspiration for my art. Something about the fresh air helps me clear my head when I am anxious or too excited that I can’t focus and do my work. The small page curl in the corner and the quotes in the cloud & mountain represents my love of reading. The way that the words dance on the page just fills me with wonder.

My piece is called Angry and it is inspired by the Scream by Edvard Munch. When I drew it, it brought back emotions and feelings from when my dog passed away on my birthday. When she died she was young and I thought she was going to live longer. I was so angry and I drew stuff in my classes to help me with my emotions. It helped me to get over it. I was also inspired by the movie Inside Out and the character anger. My sketch teacher taught me how to do dark and light shading with my art.
I was recommended by my teacher Monica to compete in the contest. This animation shows how I love to animate but have no motivation to do it. This animation makes me feel proud and I really like it.


These Outschool art teachers are experts in their fields and champions of creativity.




Whether your kid is just starting their creative journey or has a project ready to go, you’ll find classes that meet them where they are and bring out their best.
Learners ages 6 to 18 in the United States, United Kingdom, (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland only), Australia and Canada (excluding Quebec) (see showcase rules for regional participation limits and award eligibility details) can enter if their family has an active Outschool Membership or enrollment. New to Outschool? Become a member today!
Not at all! The Visual Arts Showcase is open to every eligible learner, whether they’re new to creating art or already taking classes. They don’t need to be enrolled in an Outschool art class to participate. What matters most is their creativity, effort, and artistic voice.
Log in to your Outschool account and fill out the form above. Upload a high-resolution image or a 1-minute video of your learner’s artwork (vertical 9x16 preferred; max 150MB) and add the artwork’s title plus a note about why your learner chose it. If you have trouble uploading, check our troubleshooting tips or contact Outschool Support for help.
Make sure to enter using the parent email linked to your Outschool account. If a teacher invited you to the Showcase, add their profile link so we can thank them. Submitting for more than one learner? Fill out a new form for each.
Artwork should connect to the theme, ‘Something That Inspires Me,’ and must be original and created by the learner. If your learner uses any material they did not create themselves, it must be clearly changed into something new and original, not just copied or lightly edited. AI tools may not be used to create any part of the artwork. Learn more about our submission guidelines here.
Our team reviews your learner’s artwork to make sure it meets the showcase rules and submission guidelines. This could take up to a week. You’ll get an email once it’s in the Showcase. Keep an eye on this page for updates. Entries will appear here when ‘Showcase Favorite’ voting begins on or around March 13.
Submissions can’t be edited once they’ve been sent, so be sure to review your upload and entry form carefully before submitting. Each learner can have only one entry in the Showcase, and judges will review only one submission per participant.
Outschool’s teacher judges review entries for creativity and originality. Learners submit their work in one of two categories: Physical Art (e.g., drawing or painting) or Digital Art (e.g., animation or digital illustration). One finalist is chosen in each age group for each category. Showcase Favorite voting happens on the Showcase page and is open to those aged 18 or older. Public voting for Showcase Favorite is open only to individuals who are legal residents of jurisdictions where participation is lawful. Notwithstanding the foregoing, residents of Canada are not eligible to participate in the public voting portion of the Contest.
Finalists are featured in the live virtual event, and the Showcase Favorite winner is decided by public vote. Entries from Canada are eligible for judging and award selection in all categories except for public voting for the Showcase Favorite award.
The live virtual Showcase will be hosted by Outschool on April 25. It’s a free celebration of the finalists and their artwork, featuring judges and moments highlighting each artist’s creative process and inspiration. Families can join to view the artwork, hear directly from the artists, and celebrate their creativity together.
Two Grand Prize winners, one in each category, each receive a $500 USD Outschool Gift Card, a $500 USD Amazon Gift Card, a featured placement on a Times Square digital billboard, and a one-year Outschool Membership at the $70 USD monthly tier. Finalists receive a $250 USD Outschool Gift Card, and the Showcase Favorite winner receives a $250 USD Outschool Gift Card and a $250 USD Amazon Gift Card. Finalists are announced on April 20, and Grand Prize winners will be announced live at the Showcase event on April 25. Prizes are sent by email after the contest concludes. All prizes are stated in US dollars (USD) or the equivalent amount in local currency, depending on the jurisdiction of residence.