Win Global Recognition in Wildlife Art: IFAW World Wildlife Day International Youth Art Contest 2026 (Showcase at World Wildlife Day Event)

World-class institutions are watching. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is inviting young artists aged 4–18 to respond to a simple but powerful brief: create wildlife art that includes plants, honoring the 2026 World Wildlife Day theme “Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods.” This is not a school scrapbook project — it’s a chance to have your work seen at the official World Wildlife Day event on March 3, 2026, to join a global conversation about conservation, and to stand alongside projects supported by CITES and the UNDP.

Art can do what graphs and policy papers rarely do: make you feel something. For kids and teens, that feeling can become action. If you or a young person you mentor care about animals, plants, or community health — or if you want a project that mixes science and creativity — this contest is a sweet spot. It accepts hand-drawn, traditional media (crayons, colored pencils, markers, paint), and asks entrants to show how plants and animals interact — perhaps a deer nibbling a medicinal herb, a pollinator among aromatic flowers, or a market scene showing harvested plants and people who depend on them.

Below you’ll find everything you need to prep a strong entry: the facts in one glance, strategy on concept and craft, technical how-tos for digitizing traditional art, a realistic timeline, common pitfalls, and the exact place to submit your work by February 1, 2026.

At a Glance

What This Opportunity Offers

Think beyond trophies. This contest offers visibility and a platform more than cash. Finalists and winners are showcased at the World Wildlife Day event — an audience that includes conservationists, policymakers, and international partners. That kind of exposure can be transformative for a young artist: the work isn’t just displayed on social media, it’s part of a formal observance tied to global conservation agendas. For educators and youth groups, it’s a ready-made project that ties art to science and civics.

IFAW’s collaboration with CITES and UNDP adds credibility. These are institutions involved in the regulation of wildlife trade and in international development; their involvement means the contest is taken seriously by the conservation community. Participating gives young artists a seat at conversations about biodiversity, sustainable livelihoods, and the risks medicinal plants face from overharvesting and habitat loss.

There’s also a pedagogical payoff. Creating art for this theme pushes participants to research: What are medicinal plants in your region? How do communities use them? Which animals interact with those plants? That research strengthens science literacy, cultural awareness, and narrative skills. In short: it’s an art project that doubles as a mini-residency in local ecology.

Finally, the practical benefits are simple but meaningful. Digital presentation skills (photographing and uploading artwork), succinct artist statements, and learning how to respond to a themed brief — these are career-ready abilities even for kids. The contest can be a portfolio piece for older teens thinking about arts programs, scholarships, or internships.

Who Should Apply

If you’re between 4 and 18 and you like to draw, paint, or color, you should consider this. But beyond age, the contest is ideal for three types of participants:

• The curious naturalist: Kids who already spend time watching backyard insects, collecting plant samples, or helping in community gardens. These artists can turn observation into a narrative that explains why a plant matters.
• The school or club project leader: Teachers, Scouts leaders, and afterschool program coordinators who want a project with curriculum hooks. This theme lets you integrate lessons about ecosystems, traditional knowledge, and human health.
• The young activist or storyteller: Teens who want to communicate a conservation message visually. If you care about indigenous knowledge, overharvesting, or illegal trade, art gives you a concise, emotional way to show consequences and solutions.

Real-world examples: a 10-year-old in Ghana might draw a scene of local harvesters and the aromatic plants they gather for traditional medicine; a 16-year-old in the US could portray how pollinators sustain medicinal herb populations; a 7-year-old in India might paint a grandmother harvesting herbs, connecting heritage and livelihood. The contest is international, so entries that show local context and specificity often resonate — a universal message told through a local lens.

Eligibility and Rules (What to check before you start)

The contest accepts traditional media that are hand-drawn — markers, crayons, colored pencils, and paint. Digital-only artworks are not the focus here; the organizers want to celebrate hand-crafted pieces that are then digitized for submission.

Key eligibility points to confirm on the official page before you prepare:

• Your age must be between 4 and 18 at the time of entry.
• The art must include plants within the wildlife theme (animals plus plant context).
• Entries are submitted electronically through IFAW’s submission portal.
• Deadline for submissions: February 1, 2026.
• Finalists/winners are presented at the official World Wildlife Day on March 3, 2026.

Always read the official rules for fine print about copyright (who owns the image after you submit), parental consent (usually required for minors), and how the artwork may be used by IFAW and partners.

Insider Tips for a Winning Application

There’s good art, and there’s art that tells a story clearly in three seconds. Judges see hundreds of entries; clarity and concept beat complexity every time. Here are action-oriented tips that actually help.

1. Lead with a strong concept. Decide what specific message you want the viewer to leave with. Is your piece about the cultural importance of a plant? About the threat of overharvesting? About the relationship between an animal and a medicinal plant? Put that idea front and center. A clear concept gives the judges an immediate “hook.”

2. Make plants visible and meaningful. The 2026 theme specifically asks for medicinal and aromatic plants. Don’t hide them in the background. Show how people or animals use those plants — a close-up of texture, a scene of harvesting, or a diagram-style drawing that labels key parts. Specificity helps: name a plant if you can.

3. Use contrast to guide the eye. If you want the viewer to notice the plant first, use brighter colors or sharper detail for the plant and softer tones for surroundings. Many children’s art supplies are bold; put that boldness to work.

4. Write a tight artist statement. Pair your artwork with a one- to three-sentence explanation: what the image shows, why you chose the subject, and what you hope people will learn. This statement can elevate a technically good piece into a memorable one.

5. Prepare the physical piece with submission in mind. Because you’ll upload a digital file, think about photographing or scanning from the start (see the technical section below). Use clean paper, flat mounting, and avoid glossy paints that glare.

6. Respect composition basics. Rule of thirds, focal point, and balance still matter in children’s art. Teach or practice these ideas: have a main subject, avoid too many competing elements, and give breathing room around the focal point.

7. Collaborate thoughtfully. Group projects can work, but the contest is for individual artists. If you’re a teacher, encourage each child to submit their own interpretation. If a family member helped, note that in the statement but keep ownership clear.

8. Practice with mock submissions. Create a full run-through: produce the art, write the statement, photograph or scan, prepare the file, and upload it. Technical hiccups are common on deadline day; testing early removes stress.

How to Photograph or Scan Traditional Artwork (Practical tech tips)

Most disqualifications or poor impressions come from bad photos. A gorgeous piece can look amateurish with glare, skew, or low resolution. Fix this before you hit upload.

• Use natural, even light. Photograph outdoors on an overcast day or near a north-facing window. Avoid direct sunlight that creates hotspots.
• Keep the camera parallel to the artwork. Use a tripod or steady surface. If the image looks trapezoidal, you angled the camera.
• Scan if possible. A 300–600 DPI scan is ideal for detailed pieces. Save scans as high-quality JPEG or PNG.
• Edit lightly. Crop to the edges, correct rotation, and adjust brightness/contrast. Don’t over-filter — you want to represent the original.
• File naming: use a clear convention: LastName_FirstName_Age_Title.jpg
• Keep the original. If asked for a higher-resolution file later, you’ll be glad you saved the original scan.

Application Timeline (Realistic schedule to finish by Feb 1, 2026)

Start early. Even children who work quickly benefit from time to experiment and revise. Here’s a timeline you can adapt:

• 6–8 weeks before deadline: Research the theme with the artist. Visit a botanical garden, read about local medicinal plants, or interview a family elder about traditional uses.
• 4–6 weeks before: Sketch ideas. Try at least three different compositions. Select one and make a refined sketch.
• 3–4 weeks before: Create the final artwork. Allow time for paint to dry and for any repairs (like torn edges).
• 2 weeks before: Photograph/scan the artwork. Prepare the artist statement and any parental consent forms.
• 1 week before: Complete the upload and double-check file quality. Have someone else proofread the artist statement.
• Submit at least 48 hours before February 1, 2026. Technical systems can fail; early submission is the safest bet.

Required Materials (What to prepare before you click Submit)

Most of the required material is straightforward, but prepare responsibly.

• High-quality digital image of the original artwork (JPEG/PNG). Scan at 300 DPI or photograph in even light.
• Artist statement (one to three sentences, concise and reflective).
• Age and contact information for the entrant (guardian details if minor).
• Parental or guardian consent where required (check the official entry form).
• Any additional release forms requested by IFAW (permission for the organization to reproduce the image).
• If the piece includes people, ensure model consent is obtained (photos of identifiable people often require releases).

Tip: Put all materials in a single folder with a checklist to make final upload swift. Double-check the contest page for size limits and filename rules.

What Makes an Application Stand Out

Judges look for clarity of idea, craft, and relevance to the theme. Here’s how yours can rise above the rest.

• Specificity beats generality. An image that shows a local plant with a named use will usually be more memorable than a generic “nature scene.”
• Emotional resonance. Art that makes you feel — concern, hope, curiosity — sticks in judges’ minds.
• Technical confidence. Clean lines, thoughtful use of color, and a readable composition speak volumes about the effort invested.
• Educational value. If your artist statement teaches something new about a plant’s use, that helps. Judges appreciate entries that communicate both beauty and information.
• Cultural context handled respectfully. If your work references traditional knowledge, acknowledge it in your statement and treat it with respect.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (And how to fix them)

Even talented young artists lose points for avoidable errors. Here are common traps and simple fixes.

• Bad photo of the artwork. Fix: follow the photography tips above. Test your file on another screen to ensure colors reproduce well.
• Vague statement. Fix: write one sentence explaining the subject and one explaining the message. Keep it simple.
• No plant in the image. Fix: this year’s theme requires plants. If your original idea lacks them, integrate a medicinal plant in the foreground or background.
• Missing permissions. Fix: get parental consent and any release forms signed before submitting.
• Overcrowded composition. Fix: remove small irrelevant elements. Focus on one or two strong subjects.
• Rushing at the last minute. Fix: build the timeline above into your schedule and submit early.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who can enter? A: Youth aged 4–18. Confirm age cutoffs on the official rules page and ensure parental consent where required.

Q: What media are allowed? A: Traditional hand-drawn media: markers, crayons, colored pencils, and/or paint. Digital art is not the contest’s focus. If you used mixed media, check the rules to ensure eligibility.

Q: Can I include people in my artwork? A: Yes, but if the image includes identifiable people, you may need model release forms from guardians. Check submission requirements.

Q: How will the artwork be used? A: Typically, IFAW and partners reserve the right to reproduce images for promotion, exhibitions, or educational materials. Read the copyright and usage terms on the submission page.

Q: Are there age categories or prizes? A: The official page will list categories and prize details. If you need to know for teaching purposes, check the contest’s FAQ section or contact IFAW directly.

Q: When will winners be announced? A: Finalists and winners will be presented at the World Wildlife Day event on March 3, 2026. Exact announcement dates are published by IFAW.

Q: Can I submit more than one entry? A: Check the official rules. Many youth contests allow one entry per artist, but verify before you prepare multiple pieces.

Q: Is there any guidance on size or file type? A: The contest page lists acceptable file formats and maximum file sizes. Scan at 300–600 DPI and export as high-quality JPEG or PNG unless instructed otherwise.

Next Steps — How to Apply

If this sounds like your next classroom project or a weekend mission, here’s a clear action plan:

1. Read the official contest page and rules. Confirm age eligibility and permissions.
2. Research the theme: pick a local medicinal or aromatic plant and learn about how it’s used and by whom.
3. Sketch multiple concepts. Choose one that clearly shows a plant-animal or plant-human relationship.
4. Produce the final hand-drawn artwork with care.
5. Photograph or scan the piece using the technical tips above.
6. Draft your concise artist statement and obtain any parental permissions.
7. Upload to IFAW’s submission portal before February 1, 2026 — and do it at least 48 hours early.

Get Started

Ready to apply? Visit the official contest page for submission details, rules, and the upload portal: https://signup.ifaw.org/en-us/art-contest#submit-art

If you have questions about eligibility, technical requirements, or permissions, contact the organizers through the links on the contest page. Good art starts with curiosity; great art finishes with care. Now pick your plant, pick your colors, and tell a small story that could reach a very big audience.