Young Artist Award | Colorado Springs, Littleton, Steamboat Springs, Denver

Calling All Young Artists

The Young Artist Award Program

For over thirty years, we've passionately supported the arts in the local school districts we serve - awarding over $850,000 to talented students through our Art Scholarship Program. The Young Artist Award program proudly continues this tradition by expanding the opportunity in our community to recognize and reward even more.

Qualifications

Artist must be a student in Kindergarten - 12th grade
Artist must meet one of the following criteria:
- Artist must be enrolled in a qualifying school district
- Artist is a member of AACU
- Artist's parent is a member of AACU
Artist is passionate about art and ready to showcase their talent!

Qualifying School Districts

Academy School District 20
Cheyenne Mountain School District 12
Colorado Springs School District 11
Douglas County School District RE-1
Elbert County School District C-2 (Kiowa Schools)
Elbert School District 200
Elizabeth School District
Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8

Harrison School District 2
Hayden School District RE-1
Lewis-Palmer School District 38
Routt/Jackson County School District
School District 49
South Routt School District RE-3
Steamboat Springs School District RE-1

hands painting with brushes

How To Apply

Students can choose one piece of artwork and submit up to 4 photos for judging. Using the online application below, submit clear, unfiltered photos of your piece of artwork. Submissions will be judged by a committee of volunteer artists from our community.

Program Deadlines

Application deadline is May 8, 2026
Recipients will be notified by June 4, 2026.

Recipients will be notified by the email address provided in their application, as well as having their artwork featured on our website!

Elementary Level

Kindergarten - 5th Grade

Applications are open to students who are in kindergarten through 5th grade. Ten students will be awarded $100 and receive a $100 gift card for art supplies!

How To Apply

Submit up to 4 photos of 1 piece of artwork for judging
Complete the online application by May 8, 2026

Online Application

Congratulations!

Your art scholarship entry has been received. You will receive an email confirmation. Good Luck!

Student Information

School District *

Grade *

First Name *

Last Name *

Please describe your piece. For example: size, medium, description. *

Parent/Guardian Information

Parent First Name *

Parent Last Name *

Email Address *

Phone Number *

Street Address *

City *

State *

Zip *

Art Teacher Information

Art Teacher Name *

Image Upload

Each entry may submit up to four images of one piece of artwork for consideration. Images must be in either JPEG or PNG format and no larger than 5MB. Please submit clear photos of each piece.

By check the box below on this Acknowledgement and Release ("Agreement"), you grant permission to AACU to consider your child's artwork for the 2024 AACU Young Artist Awards. Student artwork will be electronically submitted to AACU through the website. All submissions of student artwork will be considered and a selection of winning artwork will be displayed on the AACU website, in AACU publications, marketing materials, or other advertising publications. We will only use your child's first name, school, grade and artwork photo for promotional and marketing use. We request your address only to process any awards, but if you fail to provide, your child may miss any awards they receive.

I acknowledge that I am the guardian of a minor and the student artist OR I am the student artist, and I am at least 18 years of age AND I acknowledge and understand that:

The student artist wishes to participate in the Young Artist Award Program;
Only original artwork that does not include work produced by another artist is eligible for admission to the Young Artist Award Program;
Only a small portion of admitted artworks will receive recognition and scholarships, and all determination of such awards are exclusively made by AACU;
Images of the student's artwork, information about the artwork and the student artist, and the student artist's name and likeness may be posted to aacu.com, AACU social media platforms, and used in materials advertising and promoting the Young Artist Award Program.

I verify that I have read, understand and agree to be bound by the terms of this Agreement, and I have the authority to do so, either on my own behalf or on behalf of the student artist, if the student artist is a minor. *

By checking this box, I certify that the work submitted is entirely my own original creation and was not generated, in whole or in part, by artificial intelligence. *

Submit

Please Note: Only completed applications will be considered.

child painting

women painting

Middle School Level

6th- 8th Grade

Applications are open to students in 6th grade through 8th grade. Ten students will be awarded $250 and receive a $100 gift card to for art supplies!

How To Apply

Submit up to 4 photos of 1 piece of artwork for judging
Complete the online application by May 8, 2026.

Online Application

Congratulations!

Your art scholarship entry has been received. You will receive an email confirmation. Good Luck!

Student Information

School District *

Grade *

First Name *

Last Name *

Please describe your piece. For example: size, medium, description. *

Parent/Guardian Information

Parent First Name *

Parent Last Name *

Email Address *

Phone Number *

Street Address *

City *

State *

Zip *

Art Teacher Information

Art Teacher Name *

Image Upload

Each entry may submit up to four images of one piece of artwork for consideration. Images must be in either JPEG or PNG format and no larger than 5MB. Please submit clear photos of each piece.

By check the box below on this Acknowledgement and Release ("Agreement"), you grant permission to AACU to consider your child's artwork for the 2024 AACU Young Artist Awards. Student artwork will be electronically submitted to AACU through the website. All submissions of student artwork will be considered and a selection of winning artwork will be displayed on the AACU website, in AACU publications, marketing materials, or other advertising publications. We will only use your child's first name, school, grade and artwork photo for promotional and marketing use. We request your address only to process any awards, but if you fail to provide, your child may miss any awards they receive.

I acknowledge that I am the guardian of a minor and the student artist OR I am the student artist, and I am at least 18 years of age AND I acknowledge and understand that:

The student artist wishes to participate in the Young Artist Award Program;
Only original artwork that does not include work produced by another artist is eligible for admission to the Young Artist Award Program;
Only a small portion of admitted artworks will receive recognition and scholarships, and all determination of such awards are exclusively made by AACU;
Images of the student's artwork, information about the artwork and the student artist, and the student artist's name and likeness may be posted to aacu.com, AACU social media platforms, and used in materials advertising and promoting the Young Artist Award Program.

I verify that I have read, understand and agree to be bound by the terms of this Agreement, and I have the authority to do so, either on my own behalf or on behalf of the student artist, if the student artist is a minor. *

By checking this box, I certify that the work submitted is entirely my own original creation and was not generated, in whole or in part, by artificial intelligence. *

Submit

Please Note: Only completed applications will be considered.

High School Level

9th- 12th Grade

Applications are open to students in 9th grade through 12th grade. Ten students will be awarded $500 and receive a $100 gift card for art supplies!

Application Requirements

Submit up to 4 photos of 1 piece of artwork for judging
Complete the online application by May 8, 2026

Online Application

Congratulations!

Your art scholarship entry has been received. You will receive an email confirmation. Good Luck!

Student Information

School District *

Grade *

First Name *

Last Name *

Please describe your piece. For example: size, medium, description. *

Parent/Guardian Information

Parent First Name *

Parent Last Name *

Email Address *

Phone Number *

Street Address *

City *

State *

Zip *

Art Teacher Information

Art Teacher Name *

Art Teacher Email Address *

Art Teacher Phone Number *

Image Upload

Each entry may submit up to four images of one piece of artwork for consideration. Images must be in either JPEG or PNG format and no larger than 5MB. Please submit clear photos of each piece.

By check the box below on this Acknowledgement and Release ("Agreement"), you grant permission to AACU to consider your child's artwork for the 2024 AACU Young Artist Awards. Student artwork will be electronically submitted to AACU through the website. All submissions of student artwork will be considered and a selection of winning artwork will be displayed on the AACU website, in AACU publications, marketing materials, or other advertising publications. We will only use your child's first name, school, grade and artwork photo for promotional and marketing use. We request your address only to process any awards, but if you fail to provide, your child may miss any awards they receive.

I acknowledge that I am the guardian of a minor and the student artist OR I am the student artist, and I am at least 18 years of age AND I acknowledge and understand that:

The student artist wishes to participate in the Young Artist Award Program;
Only original artwork that does not include work produced by another artist is eligible for admission to the Young Artist Award Program;
Only a small portion of admitted artworks will receive recognition and scholarships, and all determination of such awards are exclusively made by AACU;
Images of the student's artwork, information about the artwork and the student artist, and the student artist's name and likeness may be posted to aacu.com, AACU social media platforms, and used in materials advertising and promoting the Young Artist Award Program.

I verify that I have read, understand and agree to be bound by the terms of this Agreement, and I have the authority to do so, either on my own behalf or on behalf of the student artist, if the student artist is a minor. *

By checking this box, I certify that the work submitted is entirely my own original creation and was not generated, in whole or in part, by artificial intelligence. *

Submit

Please Note: Only completed applications will be considered.

women with paint brush