U.P. Teens Invited to Enter Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Program

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the nation's longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative teens, are accepting entries from teenagers across the country in grades 7-12 through Dec. 3. The Northern Shores Storywork Writing Project site at Northern Michigan University is serving as the Upper Peninsula affiliate of the awards.

Teen artists and writers are invited to enter their original works for recognition and scholarship/cash award opportunities. They will also have a chance to join the ranks of the program's esteemed alumni, including Tschabalala Self, Stephen King, Kay WalkingStick, José Parlá, Amanda Gorman, Charles White, Joyce Carol Oates, and Andy Warhol.

The Awards' 28 art and writing categories include drawing and illustration, photography, flash fiction, poetry, film and animation, and journalism. All works are selected for Awards based on originality, skill, and the emergence of personal vision or voice and without knowledge of the teen's biographical or demographic information. To learn more about the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and to enter work, visit: artandwriting.org

During the 2024 program year, there were only eight entries from the Upper Peninsula among the 110,000 teens from U.S. territories, Canada, and every state in the nation who entered nearly 340,000 works of art and writing for adjudication. Works by nearly 50,000 teens received regional recognition, and more than 2,500 works of art and writing received national recognition, including $400,000 in direct scholarships.

"Serving as an affiliate is our opportunity to make sure creative rural teens know about the awards and have equitable access to the benefits," said NMU Professor Kel Sassi.

Works are reviewed first on a regional level-the regional awards ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at NMU's School of Art and Design-and those who receive Gold Keys are then adjudicated nationally by a panel of industry experts. Entry fees are $10 for individual entries and $30 for portfolios. If entry fees are a barrier to entry, waivers can be obtained with support from BLICK Art Materials.

For over a century, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, currently presented by the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, have advocated for and uplifted the interests, abilities, and experiences of countless creative teens, validating their artistic abilities and certifying that their voices truly do matter.

"We here at the Alliance make it our mission to open the door for teens to freely explore their talents, follow their creative pursuits, and speak their minds through their chosen medium. In our current climate, it is more important than ever that teens have a creative outlet, and we are delighted to welcome young people nationwide to our community, where they can feel comfortable in expressing their ideas and themselves," said Executive Director Christopher Wisniewski.

As one of the country's most significant sources of scholarships for young artists and writers, the Alliance is excited to introduce new opportunities for the 2025 programming year, including monetary prizes for recipients of the American Voices & Visions Awards. Overall, the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are poised to award more direct scholarships and monetary prizes than ever before, with returning and updated scholarships and cash awards totaling more than $450,000.

For more information about the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, visit www.artandwriting.org. Additional details about the Awards can be found in the Scholastic media room: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/artandwriting.

Local Affiliate Contact: Kel Sassi at [email protected].