Students throughout the state of Mississippi have two outstanding opportunities in this new year to show off their art skills and win some amazing prizes in the process.
The first opportunity comes from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) Foundation. This art contest is open to all students ages 5-19, who are currently enrolled in any public, private, parochial, or accredited homeschools within our state. In fact, the Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery Youth Art Contest has four distinct categories for students ages 5-7, 8-11, 12-15, and 16-19, but students are only allowed to submit one original work of art for this year’s contest.
Each student entry that is submitted must depict a fish or wildlife species native to Mississippi. Photographs are only accepted as reference to the artwork, and no computer-generated pieces will be permissible. Multiple art mediums are allowed, but each hand-created submission must be accompanied by an official entry form and sent to the Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery Visitor Education Center by May 10, 2026. All entries received will then be judged according to the artwork’s wildlife message and artistic elements.
Winners from each of the four age groups will have their artwork showcased in Mississippi Outdoor Magazine and on the Bob Tyler Hatchery’s website. These winning students will also receive an official certificate, a complimentary copy of the magazine with their entry depicted, as well as gift cards.
So, all Mississippi students, teachers, and parents: Make sure to encourage Mississippi’s youngest artists to go to the official contest website: 2026 Youth Art Contest Announced | Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Then, read the rules, find the submission form, and get that artwork completed by May 10, 2026, for the Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery Youth Art Contest.
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We cannot wait to see the 2026 winners in this MDWFP Foundation contest, as well as winners in another competition – the 2026 Mississippi College and Career Savings Art Contest, sponsored by the Mississippi State Treasury.
This contest is also open to any Mississippi student enrolled in a public, private, parochial, or homeschool classroom. But the age groups for this contest include students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, and each original submission must center on the theme of “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Over $8,000 in Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) scholarships will be awarded to winning student artists in this prestigious contest. First place winners in each age division will be awarded a $1,000 MACS scholarship, while 2nd place winners will receive $500 scholarships, and 3rd place winners will earn $250 scholarships.
In addition to these scholarship prizes, the teachers with the most student entries in the contest will win a $1,000 scholarship, redeemable for continued education costs, classroom supplies, and much more.
Also keep in mind that students must submit their original artwork, without the artist’s name appearing anywhere on the front of the artwork and accompanied by (clipped to) an official, age-appropriate registration form. Different age groups allow (and require) different art sizes and mediums. So, check the rules for details: 2026-Art-Contest-Official-Rules.pdf.
But remember that the deadline for entry in this contest in March 2, 2026, making it much more important to get started now with creating artwork for the 2026 Mississippi College and Career Savings Art Contest.
