2026 Youth Art Show

Theme: MUSIC: Rhythm and Hues

Artists Ages 5-17 | Entry Deadline: 10-24-2026

On Display Nov 3- Dec 5

Thank you to our 2025 sponsors!

For this year’s Youth Art Show, young artists are invited to explore how sound inspires sight!
Maybe you’ll create a colorful painting inspired by your favorite song, design an abstract piece that feels like rhythm and movement, or illustrate the instruments, musicians, or memories that make music special to you.
This theme encourages you to think about how music makes you feel! Whether that be joyful, calm, powerful, or even sad, and to turn that emotion into visual art. From classical to country, rock to rap, every note tells a story, and now it’s your turn to bring that story to life through your art.
Click HERE for more inspiration
October 24th: Entries due at RRVM
November 3rd: Private opening for artists and parents
November 4th-December 5th: Art Show open to public
December 5th: Award Presentation at 12:45 (kids get in free!)
December 5th: Art Show entries picked up at the RRVM
Youngster (ages 5-7)
Elementary (ages 8-11)
Middle School (ages 12-14)
High School (ages 15-17)
1. Create 1-2 artworks based on the theme "MUSIC."
2. Submit your artwork:
- Drop it off at the Red River Valley Museum (4600 College Drive, Vernon, TX 76384)
- Or leave it with staff at the Vernon Boys & Girls Club.
3. Prepare your artwork:
- Frame or mat any artwork that is not on canvas or sculptural.
- For assistance, please email Cooper at cooper@rrvmuseum.org.
4. Optional: Write a short artist’s statement to accompany your piece.
- - Attach it to the back of the artwork or email to cooper@rrvmuseum.org
5. Write the following information on the back of your artwork or an accompanying slip of paper:
- Artist’s name
- Artists age
- Parent/guardian name
- Email
- Phone number
- Title of art work
- Type of media used to create artwork (acrylic paint, watercolors, pencil, clay, ect)
Overall Best in Show: $150
Rising Star: $75
In-Person Viewers Choice: $75
Online Viewers Choice: $100 in art supplies
First Place: $100 (given in each age bracket)
Second Place: $50 (given in each age bracket)
Third Place: $25 (given in each age bracket)
Additional awards may be presented as sponsorships arise
Awards will be presented on December 5th
1. Originality: Artwork must be entirely created by the youth artist’s own talents. Pieces created under instruction or workshop settings are not eligible.
2. Permitted Media: All types of art media are accepted except AI-generated art. The RRVM reserves the right to disqualify any artwork found to be AI-generated or not created by the child who entered.
3. Content: The RRVM reserves the right to withhold display of artwork with graphic content. While we respect artistic expression, we must keep the gallery space accessible to all ages; therefore, we cannot display nudity or excessive violent imagery in this show.
4. Age Requirement: Artists must be under 18 years of age when submitting their artwork. Artists aged 18+ are encouraged to enter our adult art show.
5. Submission Deadline: All entries are due by October 24, 2026. Early submissions are welcome!
6. Framing & Presentation: Artwork not on canvas or sculptural must be framed or matted. If your artist needs help with this requirement, please email cooper@rrvmuseum.org.
7. Limit on Entries: Each artist may submit a maximum of two entries.
8. Artist Statements (Optional): Including a brief artist’s statement about the piece is encouraged, but not required. Please email it to cooper@rrvmuseum.org or attach a printed or written statement to the back of the artwork.
9. Handling & Liability: While every effort will be made to handle artwork carefully, the RRVM is not liable for any potential damage to artwork during handling or display.
10. Permission to Display Online: By entering the show, you grant RRVM permission to photograph and share images of the artwork on social media, the RRVM website, and other promotional materials.
11. Artwork Pickup: Artwork is expected to be removed from the museum immediately following the award ceremony on December 5, 2026 unless other arrangements have been made with museum staff. Any artwork not collected by January 1st, 2027 will be considered forfeit and will become property of the Red River Valley Museum. The museum reserves the right to display, sell, donate, or dispose of unclaimed artwork as it deems appropriate.

Winner Selection Process

Best in Show & Age Group Awards: A panel of judges, chosen for their expertise in arts and youth engagement, evaluates each entry. They score each artwork on a scale from 5-20 points. The artwork with the highest overall score will receive the Best in Show award. For each age group, the same scoring process is used to determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards.
In-Person Voted Viewer’s Choice Award: This award is based on votes cast by museum visitors throughout the show. Ballots will be tallied shortly before the award ceremony. If the artwork with the highest vote count has already received a cash prize, Viewer’s Choice will go to the next highest-voted piece. These votes are FREE to cast.
Online Voted Viewer’s Choice Award: This award is based on votes cast online during and after the run of the show. These votes cost $1 and all funds raised support the following year’s Youth Art Show. The winner of this Viewer’s Choice award will receive $100 in art supplies. Dates for this extended competition will vary from year to year.
Additional Sponsored Awards: If additional awards are sponsored, they will be determined by the judges’ scores and awarded based on the prize’s cash value, relative to the designated 1st-3rd place awards.

Example point rubric, used by judges in 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

We will never sell a work of art without the artist’s permission. However, we are happy to help you sell your artwork if you choose!
Many professional shows charge a commission on sales, but we do not take any commission for this Youth Art Show.
When you drop off your artwork, you can let us know if you’d like it to be available for sale and provide a price. If no price is provided, we will assume the artwork is not for sale.
However, if a museum visitor is interested in buying a piece and no price was listed, we will contact the email address you provided at drop-off to ask if you’d like to set a price or receive an offer from the buyer.
Artists of all skill levels are encouraged to enter! The artist must be between the ages of 5-17 when creating and dropping off their artwork.
No! It is FREE to enter this show.
Yes! We aim to display every artwork submitted.
However, the Red River Valley Museum reserves the right to withhold artwork that contains graphic content. While we respect artistic expression, the gallery must remain accessible to all ages, so pieces depicting sexual content or excessive violence cannot be displayed in this show. The judges will still view and score non-displayed artwork.
While not every entry receives a formal award, every piece submitted will be displayed in the museum, which in itself is a special recognition of each young artist’s creativity and effort.
Awards are given based on the scores of a panel of artist judges using a clear rubric. This process helps highlight exceptional work in different age categories.
Yes! Digital artwork and photography are welcome.
We encourage artists to create work using their own ideas and skills, rather than pre-made assets, clip art, templates, or stock images. This ensures that each piece reflects the young artist’s own creativity and vision and does not infringe on any copyrights or intellectual properties.
Artwork created using AI programs will not be eligible for judging or awards and may be removed from the show. If a piece appears to rely primarily on pre-made assets, museum staff may contact the parent or artist for clarification regarding artistic integrity.
The winners are selected by a panel of experienced judges. Each year, the panel includes at least three adults with backgrounds in the arts, and when possible, we invite six judges representing a variety of artistic specialties and age perspectives.
This diverse panel ensures that entries are evaluated thoughtfully and fairly, recognizing creativity, skill, and personal expression.
Artwork must be created by the young artist alone to be eligible for this show. This means pieces made during step-by-step painting classes, projects done specifically for a class, or pre-made kits cannot be entered.
Work created in a classroom setting without direct instruction is allowed. We rely on an honor system to ensure entries reflect the child’s own creativity. If staff believe a piece was created under instruction, it may be removed from judging, but we will contact the parent or artist first to confirm artistic integrity.
The Viewers’ Choice Award is determined by the number of votes a piece receives from museum visitors during the exhibition. Every visitor receives one ballot upon entering the museum to cast a vote for their favorite artwork.
Visitors are welcome to return multiple times during the exhibition and vote again, but staff work to ensure that each visitor gets only one vote per visit. Exceptions can be made for parents who have multiple children participating and want to avoid favoritism.
This award allows the community to celebrate the young artists whose work resonates most with museum visitors!
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ONLINE Viewers Choice voting for the Youth Art Show is a separate competition from judged awards and In-Person Viewers Choice!