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!




*or the equivalent amount in local currency depending on jurisdiction of residence
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These Outschool art teachers are experts in their fields and champions of creativity.




Entries are open to any learner in the U.S., UK, Canada, or Australia aged 6-18 with an active Outschool Membership or current class enrollment. Entrants in the U.S., U.K., and Australia are eligible for the Showcase Favorite Award. Deadline for entry is April 10, 2026, 11:59PM PT.
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Share an image or video of a piece of their artwork that fits the theme “Something That Inspires Me.”

Complete the short submission form, including a brief description of what inspired the piece, in your kid’s own words.

Stay tuned as we announce the finalists on or around 4/20. Then get excited for the 4/25 showcase and winners reveal!


Fill out this form to enter your kid in the Outschool Visual Art Showcase.
Submission Guidelines
No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of Australia, Canada, the U.K., and the U.S., age 18+ (parents or legal guardians of learners ages 6–18) with an active Outschool membership, ESA, scholarship, or charter enrollment. Additional eligibility requirements apply. Ends 11:59 PM PT on 4/10/26. Void where prohibited. Subject to Official Rules.

Hello, my name is Eunice. I’m eleven years old. I painted this using watercolor. I painted this because it showed a great amount of vitality and contrast. The word I thought would match this painting was “reflect”. “Reflect” because the afternoon sun reflects off of the cool water. “Reflect” because you are looking back to a day and reflecting the light, the good, out of it.


I am passionate about art and attended many art lessons on Outschool. All these wonderful art teachers helped me to become more confident and to enjoy creating more than ever! - Our family got the long awaited Golden Retriever Rosetta. I was so happy to draw her, am really proud of my drawing. Without all the Outschool lessons I wouldn't have been able to draw her like that! - Outstanding Miss Shannon from "Ready Set Fitness" told me about this Showcase as I had told her how much I enjoy art.

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 made this piece because I love dogs and mice. I think that this piece is very colorful, and I like anything that is colorful, especially if it explodes. Mickey made a cake, and Pluto wanted it, but Pluto is a dog, and dogs aren't supposed to eat certain types of cake. Mickey baked Pluto a dog-friendly cake, so they can eat cake together. I showed my mom and she liked it. I was a bit surprised because she hates mice, but she told me that Mickey wasn't a mouse for some reason. I'm very confused.

This piece was inspired by a dream I had where I was walking through a garden of mushrooms with eyes and the sky was clear blue, so I decided to make a piece of my dream from memory so I can remember that dream over and over again. It reminds me of the days where I always loved to play with plants and flowers in my back yard. That activity always made me happy.

Hi! My name is Keegan. I love to read, write, and draw, and I thought that as a artist it would be fun to submit one of my drawings in this contest. The one I chose is a picture of the main character of a book I'm going to write, Dawn, climbing out of an underground city that was not treating her well. I think it is inspiring of her to do that, instead of just staying there. Thank you for reading about my drawing!


I just moved to a new house and there is a horse across the street that has become my new best friend. He comes to the fence to greet me and I love to feed him carrots and he loves to see me everyday. He loves when I pet him and cuddle his nose and I actually love it too just as much as he does.


I am a 12 year middle school student. This piece gave me peaceful. It represents life's journey doesn't have to be challenge, it can be moving forward with ease, clam and purpose.


My name is Leni Gless. I am 11 years and am a 6th grader in Chapel Hill, NC. I love to write stories and draw scenes from my stories to make it come to life. The stories I am currently writing, “Knights of the Impossible”, inspired this drawing. It shows the two main characters from my book, Ariana and her dragon Juco, in their kingdom. The cherry trees around the castle are what make the kingdom special. It makes me feel excited to continue writing my story and draw more scenes.

Hello! My name is Arberleah but most people call me Leah. I live in a small town and have been homeschooled my whole life, so I have always had lots of time to explore my passions. What I am most passionate about is my art. Recently I have been getting back into reading and exploring fictional worlds once again, and now images come to me so vividly as i read, I just have to get them out of my head and onto canvas. I hope my art can remind everyone to never stop looking for inspiration.


Arabian Horse on the Mountain top! Horses inspired me to make this piece of art! I love horses and I hope to become a veterinarian one day!

This is the original version of Godzilla. During his first appearance in 1954 he was black and white, so I decided that using his original colors would keep a faithful design to his debut appearance, and would also feel original for today's standards. Without his first appearance and that original idea of him the franchise of Godzilla would have never started in the first place, so choosing this design is meant to give respect to the first model that ever came out.

I am a natural Artist. Art flows through my hands. My art is gold. I have a natural talent in painting since a young child. I also create digital art drawing from cartoons I enjoy, i.e. Sprinkles, Rainbow Friends, Smiling Critters, Minecraft and more. My favorite art form is Angelic Art. I paint in all mediums: acrylic, metallic acrylic, oil, fluid art, Impasto (Italian Art), Suminagashi (Japanese Art), tempera, sensorial art, watercolor, glow in the dark artwork, airbrush painting and beyond!

I have been drawing since I was 4. Now I am passionate about animals and conservation. This year I started painting, so that my sketches pop with color and display the diverse beauty of the animals and their environments. A documentary of a giant squid inspired me to draw this. I feel overjoyed to be able to capture the beauty of this animal rarely seen while it’s alive. Fun fact: I like painting to the beat of music. I like to let my brush strokes dance with the beat. It makes me smile.

I'm Zuwena, and I really like old cartoons. I made this piece inspired by one of my favorites, Mysterious Mose, because it got into the public domain recently. Also I just wanted to depict how loving and being loved in return chases away all negative and mean things people might say about you.


This painting represents the love I have for animals. And yes, I’m the kind of kid who watches a bird feeder for hours. When I spot a small sparrow, I don’t view him as an annoyance; I see him as a creature who has friends, a life, and a personality. This mountain lion’s gaze shows the trauma he’s experienced, the loss he has endured, and life he has known. It inspires me to know that even when life is tough, there is always a way out.

My name is River. For most of my life, the ocean, the city, art and games have inspired me. I grew up by the ocean,the salty sea makes me happy. I've always loved the tech lights and tall buildings in cities like New York and Tokyo. I love video games, particularly retro-games. As you can see, I also love art, especially drawing, building and acting. And of course I love cats!

My name is Naree and I am 9 years old. This art piece makes me feel proud of myself for making this. The thing that inspired this piece was my mind. The idea just simply popped into my mind; a mermaid drifting through the sea with fish, holding a bubble.

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.

This piece was inspired by the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades. It depicts a young Persephone, before she meets the king of the underworld. This is one of my favorite Greek myths, and I even wrote a song about it! I think this is one of my best pieces yet, and hope you like it!

Watercolor is my favorite kind of art. I made this painting because I love my hometown, New York City. New York can feel loud and exciting, but it is also colorful and full of life. I wanted to paint a small scene that reminds me of that feeling. In the middle of my painting there is a lucky cat holding up both paws. Lucky cats are supposed to bring good luck. In my picture, the cat is wishing good luck to the city and the people who live here. I hope people who see my painting feel happy.

I love bright colors and cool textures. I am always looking for fun ways to make my art pop! I was inspired by Pop Art and how one thing can look so different in a bunch of colors. I used bubble wrap as a stamp for the background. It looks like giant sprinkles. It was so satisfying to dip the bubbles in paint and press them down! This art work makes me feel happy and energized. All the neon colors remind me of a sunny summer day when I’m about to eat my favorite ice cream!


My artwork is called “Circle of Leaves.” I painted it on a real plate and divided the circle into eight sections. Three sections represent the seasons that have leaves: spring, summer, and fall. The other five sections show leaves in different colors such as purple, orange, yellow, red, and green. I used contrasting colors in the background to make the leaves stand out. Leaves are beautiful and colorful, and they make me feel calm and happy.

Hello! I am Laelah I'm 11 years old, and a young artist. What inspired me to make this art piece? Well for one I am a Swiftie and I love making art, I thought it would be fun to draw The Life of a Showgirl album and plus Taylor Swift is a good person to look up to. Anyways Laelah out! Thanks for reading ^^

I love to draw, especially with watercolours. I love nature and how bright and colourful butterflies are! It makes me feel relaxed and happy because of the beautiful sky and landscapes. The butterfly makes me feel inspired because it makes me think about all the awesome nature on earth!

This piece shows my peaceful moment of resting in nature with animals. I was inspired by how calm it can feel to lie in the grass and spend time around animals. It makes me feel relaxed and reminds us to appreciate quiet moments and the outdoors. I made it with gauche and colored pencils, more of a mixed media piece.

~ Sun and Moon, sisters in soul, pass each other in a fleeting moment of wonder; dancing in starlight. ~ Hello, thank you for reading this and viewing my art! My name is Madeline and I've always loved making art, but I didn't start digital art until 2020 during the pandemic. Since then I have enjoyed following my art journey wherever it has led me. The inspiration for this piece came from eclipses as the concept has always fascinated me, and I recently viewed one from my backyard.

My grandparents live in Rome and I would like visit London and Rome. It’s a magical bridge that can take you to different places. The colors are bright and make me feel happy. My favorite parts are the Colosseum and the colors of the water. The person on the bridge is me.


My name is Lauren. I love making art. I am a caring person and love to make new friends. My piece is inspired by my love of reptiles and dragons. It makes me feel proud of my artwork. Shout out to my art teacher Abeera for helping me make beautiful masterpieces.


I am inspired by so many things, everyday: Media—with my favourite mysteries and my sister’s desperately awkward romance anime. Work—with the vast number of stories I see in shifts at the library. Family—with my sister’s brilliant mind and own art pushing me to create. In this piece, I wanted to combine all my inspirations through the lens of a day at my desk, with scenes popping off paper scraps in a self portrait of artistic inspiration.

Hi, my name is Charlotte! This is my drawing featuring my OCs named Cameron (bottom) and Hyun (top). They went through a lot together, but Cameron couldn't save Hyun from the things and people hurting him. Cameron now has to live with the possibility that one day he will slowly forget Hyun's face, then his voice, and then him altogether.

I made this piece based off of a book that I read. In the book, this girl (Willa), has a satchel, and it is full of all these little trinkets as shown on the artwork, including jewelry and bows. This drawing makes me feel proud, because I think that it turned out really well and really captured the feel of the book.

I really love cherry blossoms. I also really love drawing people wearing ruffled clothing or wrinkles. The two just formed together on my paper. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I had considered adding pink, but when I set my pencil down, it just felt finished.


I’m an autistic artist. I draw to better understand the world around me. This is a gouache painting I did during a recent frigid spell here where temps were hitting -40. It calmed me to think of the animals tucked safely away.

2026 is the Year of the Horse in the Chinese lunar calendar. Both my grandpas, from my dad’s side and my mom’s side, were born in the Year of the Horse. I like horses because they are cool and strong. I drew a horse’s head for the Year of the Horse and used my imagination to make it special. I felt very happy while making this artwork. I hope people smile when they see my horse.

I was inspired by survival in the wild. In my painting, a girl and her cat are camping in the wilderness. There are many different trees and plants around them, and many shades of green that make the forest look full of life. In the middle of the picture, there is a warm campfire lighting up the girl. She is fishing by the river with her cat beside her. You can see their reflections in the water. Far away in the wilderness, there is a rainbow that you can faintly see in the sky.


I really enjoyed making this self portrait. It reflects the most dignified version of myself, and really speaks to the responsibilities a hold. I painted this piece with acrylic markers, and I spent a whole afternoon on it rather than doing my Homework…don’t worry I still got the homework done. :D what do you think? Worthy of a vote?


Hi! My name is Wesson, and I am just 8 years old! I love cats, and my cat Bowser is why I sketched this cartoon drawing of him with a mouse toy. He is a big fluff-ball, and it is fun to watch him play. I feel happy and loved by my cat, and I wanted to share him with 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.


Hello, my name is Sophie, and this is my art piece for the Outschool art contest! Something that inspires me, is other artists, like my Mom, artist that have entered into the contest (all of the art on here is AMAZING) and just artists everywhere! I think it’s really cool to see how people draw and how their art style is different then others.

The fish were a great joy for the piece and the curves of water I thought added a great look. I did the background in acrylic paint and the fish in Sharpie, some I DID NOT SHARPIE. I like any type of art as long I'm DOING ART and HAVING FUN! Because ART IS NOT ART IF YOU ARE NOT HAVING FUN.

I am a student who enjoys drawing and expressing my feelings through art. This artwork shows a child holding the Earth, which represents my hope for world peace. I was inspired by the idea that even small hands can protect our planet. Creating this piece makes me feel calm and hopeful, and it reminds me to care for others and the world we share.

Hi! I am Rafael and my piece is a mix of all things I love. It's a fantasy world called Owlia, the creature with the big nose is a dragon I created called Pigspikoop, I drew myself on top of a hill with my dog Yogi, an owl (my favorite animal) perched on my shoulder and a creature called Flybei. I'm from Colombia and the bird I drew at the right bottom corner is a type of bird there. I love history and aviation so I drew a castle and planes flying in the background, one on a runway platform.

Hi, my name is Coraline.This piece is a block print.it was inspired by my trips to Paris and Lisbon. I loved watching the pigeons. They are one of my favorite animals because they are intelligent, cute, silly, and most importantly unique.I gave my pigeon a hat to highlight it being so different among birds so i guess this piece was inspired by differences. They are one of the weirdest birds and I think that makes them infinitely more interesting. This print makes me feel playful and happy.

This beautiful Scarlet Macaw is listening to the sound of nature and wondering if she should stay or fly away into the canopy of the Amazon. I am inspired by nature. I am 13 years old. Art brings me peace, so when I draw the nature around me, I feel we are one.

I enjoy painting because it allows my creativity and imagination to come alive on canvas. This drawing captures a white-tailed deer who is wandering in woods without any fear and hesitation. I get inspiration from the natural beauty surrounding us including plants, animals and surreal nature. This reminds us that boundaries and rules are for humans, we should be free to wander, explore and choose our path to success.

I made this art piece for a homework assignment. It is inspired by the painting "Surprised!" by Rousseau. I love dragons, and so I remade my own version to include them. This art piece, "The Roar of Thunder" changes the focus from the main ground to the background, revealing two dragons. It shows that there is more than one way to make beautiful art.

My name is Krisha and I drew a Fennec Fox on the Procreate app. I think I did a good job!!!! I want people to feel calm when they look at this picture because of the warm colors and the fox’s relaxed position. I want people to imagine going on ian adventure with the fox! Also let me give you a quick fun fact: they can hear underground!!!

Hi, I am Cindyll, and I am 15. For the last year, I have been studying and drawing faces. I found myself especially drawn to eyes. To me, the eye is an amazing creation of beauty and intricacy: the vibrant colors, the way the light reflects on the iris, and the way that they can express emotion that words can’t. I wanted to capture that in my art. In my piece, there is a window reflected in the eye. The eye is truly the window to the soul. You just have to take the time to look.

I like to look at old houses and think about the people who have lived in them. It makes me sad to see old houses be demolished. It seems not many people care. I wish I could save all the old houses; thats why drew this old house in the yard it was meant to be in. I hope that you enjoy thinking about who lived in this house. for my drawing I used: acrylic paint, oil pastel, and colored pencil. It took me 4 weeks to complete-i made the house bent and uneven to make it look old but cozy.
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.