Florida's young artists have a new reason to hit the sketchpad this fall. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), partnering with Wildlife Forever, has opened the 2026–2027 Florida Fish Art Contest to students in kindergarten through 12th grade across the state. The annual competition is designed to blend creativity with conservation, encouraging kids to research native freshwater and saltwater fish species before translating what they learn into original artwork.
Entries are organized into five grade divisions: kindergarten, 1st–3rd grade, 4th–6th grade, 7th–9th grade, and 10th–12th grade. Within each division, awards will go to first-place winners and runners-up in both freshwater and saltwater categories. Students in 4th grade and above are also asked to include a one-page creative writing piece reflecting what they discovered about their chosen species.
The process is straightforward: pick a Florida native fish from the approved species list on the FWC website, create an original, handmade two-dimensional piece (digital artwork is not accepted), write the accompanying essay if required by grade level, and submit everything through the online entry form. All mediums that are physical and two-dimensional are welcome.
Prizing and recognition details for first-place winners and runners-up are available on the FWC website. Supporting partners for this year's contest include Wildlife Forever, the Guy Harvey Foundation, GoOutdoorsFlorida, The Florida Nomad, and Tsunami Fishing. The submission window runs through February 28, 2027, and full guidelines, educational resources, and the entry form can be found at MyFWC.com/FishArt.
This story was reported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
