Now accepting entries for the 2027 Art Contest!
2026 Winners (out of about 2,978 entries from 40 countries and 27 US states)
-- Click the thumbnails below to see the full images with text. --
2026 Winners (out of about 2,978 entries from 40 countries and 27 US states)
-- Click the thumbnails below to see the full images with text. --
You can view other entries on our public Festival of Owls Facebook page.
HISTORY
This owl art contest started around 2004 as a coloring contest to involve local young people in the Festival of Owls. Over the years it has grown into a highly competitive international art competition with over 2,000 entries from dozens of countries each year.
HISTORY
This owl art contest started around 2004 as a coloring contest to involve local young people in the Festival of Owls. Over the years it has grown into a highly competitive international art competition with over 2,000 entries from dozens of countries each year.
Entry Rules
Please follow ALL rules and instructions, as entries that do not follow the rules WILL be disqualified and CANNOT be returned.
Please follow ALL rules and instructions, as entries that do not follow the rules WILL be disqualified and CANNOT be returned.
Participation:
Children must be age 18 or younger on the date their entry is mailed. There may be no help from adults or AI (artificial intelligence) with any part of the piece. Entries are accepted from any country in the world.
Entrants will be separated into age categories as follows:
There is no entry fee for participation.
Limit 1 entry per person and 50 entries per school if mailed by the school in a package. If more than 50 students from one school want to enter, those that are not selected by the school to be part of their package may be mailed individually by the students.
Siblings may mail their entries together.
All entries become the property of the International Owl Center and cannot be returned due to the large volume of entries received.
Entries may be used for decoration, fundraising, promotional purposes, or printed materials for sale. This may include using them as decoration during the International Festival of Owls and throughout the year, selling them in the Owl Center gift shop, auctioning them in fundraisers, temporary display at other facilities (such as museums and galleries), making them into greeting cards to be used and sold, featuring them on shirts and other promotional materials, and other uses.
By entering the contest, artists acknowledge that their entries will become the property of the International Owl Center and will not be returned, even if disqualified.
Children must be age 18 or younger on the date their entry is mailed. There may be no help from adults or AI (artificial intelligence) with any part of the piece. Entries are accepted from any country in the world.
Entrants will be separated into age categories as follows:
- 0-5 years
- 6-9 years
- 10-14 years
- 15-18 years
There is no entry fee for participation.
Limit 1 entry per person and 50 entries per school if mailed by the school in a package. If more than 50 students from one school want to enter, those that are not selected by the school to be part of their package may be mailed individually by the students.
Siblings may mail their entries together.
All entries become the property of the International Owl Center and cannot be returned due to the large volume of entries received.
Entries may be used for decoration, fundraising, promotional purposes, or printed materials for sale. This may include using them as decoration during the International Festival of Owls and throughout the year, selling them in the Owl Center gift shop, auctioning them in fundraisers, temporary display at other facilities (such as museums and galleries), making them into greeting cards to be used and sold, featuring them on shirts and other promotional materials, and other uses.
By entering the contest, artists acknowledge that their entries will become the property of the International Owl Center and will not be returned, even if disqualified.
Media:
Entries must be an image of an owl. Artwork must be two-dimensional, on any size paper that can be mailed and hung on a wall with tape. Entries cannot contain any plant or animal materials as a medium (no grasses, seeds, fur, feathers, etc.) as it is illegal to ship these internationally.
Digital artwork will no longer be accepted due to the widespread use of generative AI (artificial intelligence).
No frames or mattes may be used on the artwork. If using canvas, the canvas must be removed from the wooden frame or it will be disqualified. We recommend mounting fragile papers like rice papers on a sturdier piece of paper or backing as it can be easily damaged during shipping.
Entries must be an image of an owl. Artwork must be two-dimensional, on any size paper that can be mailed and hung on a wall with tape. Entries cannot contain any plant or animal materials as a medium (no grasses, seeds, fur, feathers, etc.) as it is illegal to ship these internationally.
Digital artwork will no longer be accepted due to the widespread use of generative AI (artificial intelligence).
No frames or mattes may be used on the artwork. If using canvas, the canvas must be removed from the wooden frame or it will be disqualified. We recommend mounting fragile papers like rice papers on a sturdier piece of paper or backing as it can be easily damaged during shipping.
Entries must be an image of an owl.
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Entries cannot contain any plant or animal materials as a medium (no grasses, seeds, fur, feathers, etc.).
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Digital artwork is not allowed due to the widespread use of generative AI (artificial intelligence).
|
No frames or mattes may be used on the artwork.
|
If using canvas, the canvas must be removed from the wooden frame or it will be disqualified.
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Judging Criteria:
All entries will receive an emailed certificate of participation that will automatically be emailed when the online entry form is submitted. Due to the large volume of entries we receive, the participation certificates are not customized with the names of the entrants. You may add the artist's name to the certificate.
All properly labeled entries will be judged by a panel of area artists.
Judges are looking for:
All entries will receive an emailed certificate of participation that will automatically be emailed when the online entry form is submitted. Due to the large volume of entries we receive, the participation certificates are not customized with the names of the entrants. You may add the artist's name to the certificate.
All properly labeled entries will be judged by a panel of area artists.
Judges are looking for:
- innovative presentation
- unusual perspective or viewpoint
- a message or idea that is being conveyed
- skill with the medium appropriate to the age group (although sometimes the significance of the message is more important than the medium)
- colors coordinated or contrasted for emotional impact
- design elements that work together
- humor
Submission:
Artwork must be properly labeled. Print out this form and TAPE the small label to the bottom right corner of the front of the image (place tape on the sides--do not apply tape to the front of the art), and TAPE the larger form to the back of the image. Do not use stickers, glue, rubber cement or double-sided tape. If you do not think the tape you are using will hold well enough, please use paper clips to help hold the submission forms to the art. All unremovable methods of attaching both front and back labels WILL result in disqualification. Labels must be able to be removed from the art for display, selling them in the Owl Center gift shop, auctioning them in fundraisers, greeting cards to be used and sold, featuring on shirts and other promotional materials for International Owl Awareness Day, and other uses.
Artwork must be properly labeled. Print out this form and TAPE the small label to the bottom right corner of the front of the image (place tape on the sides--do not apply tape to the front of the art), and TAPE the larger form to the back of the image. Do not use stickers, glue, rubber cement or double-sided tape. If you do not think the tape you are using will hold well enough, please use paper clips to help hold the submission forms to the art. All unremovable methods of attaching both front and back labels WILL result in disqualification. Labels must be able to be removed from the art for display, selling them in the Owl Center gift shop, auctioning them in fundraisers, greeting cards to be used and sold, featuring on shirts and other promotional materials for International Owl Awareness Day, and other uses.
Tape the small label to the bottom right corner of the front of the image. Place tape on the bottom and right side and fold the tape around to the back of the art.
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Tape the larger label to the back of the image with ONE piece of tape along the top of the label.
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Use single-sided tape.
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No double-sided tape
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No glue of any kind
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No paper or rubber cement
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No staples
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No poster putty or adhesives (sticky squares)
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Do not attach the small label to the back of the piece.
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Do not encase either label in tape.
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PLEASE WRITE NEATLY or type the information so it is easily legible. If we mail you a prize or card we will use the address you list on this form, so please make sure it is a complete mailing address. It is acceptable to use a school address.
Click here to see a video of how to properly label and mail entries. Improperly labeled artwork will be disqualified from the competition and CANNOT be mailed back.
*We recommend using cardboard or other stiff material when packaging your art to help protect it from damage in transit.
You must send us the original art. We will not accept photocopies or e-mailed entries.
Please take a short video (~1 minute) of the artist creating the piece or a similar level of work as we may require proof of creation before sending winners their certificates.
Entries must be RECEIVED by January 15, 2027. Please allow adequate time for delivery, which often can take 3-4 weeks from some countries, and sometimes takes as much as 6-12 weeks. No entries will be accepted after January 15th if they could not reasonably arrive by January 15th. Late entries will NOT be held for the next year's competition.
Please fill out an online form when you mail your art to ensure we have your correct information and we know to expect your art. This helps prevent typographical errors on our part. For schools, please use this form and upload a spreadsheet listing each student and their contact information. (We sometimes need to contact artists years after they entered if their art is selected for special use.) For individual entries, please use this form.
NOTE: Use enough postage, as "postage due" entries will not be accepted.
Entries should be mailed through the postal service to:
International Festival of Owls
PO Box 536
Houston, MN 55943
USA
Entries mailed through DHL, UPS, and FedEx should be mailed to:
International Owl Center
126 E Cedar St
Houston, MN 55943
USA
+1 507-896-6957
Note: Specify Houston, MN as there are multiple towns/cities named "Houston" in the USA.
If you need to include a Harmonization System (tariff) code use:
9701.91.0000 for paintings, drawings, and pastels
9701.22.0000 for mosaics
9701.99.0000 for mixed media
If your shipper requires a contact person and email address:
Andie Harveaux
[email protected]
Click here to see a video of how to properly label and mail entries. Improperly labeled artwork will be disqualified from the competition and CANNOT be mailed back.
*We recommend using cardboard or other stiff material when packaging your art to help protect it from damage in transit.
You must send us the original art. We will not accept photocopies or e-mailed entries.
Please take a short video (~1 minute) of the artist creating the piece or a similar level of work as we may require proof of creation before sending winners their certificates.
Entries must be RECEIVED by January 15, 2027. Please allow adequate time for delivery, which often can take 3-4 weeks from some countries, and sometimes takes as much as 6-12 weeks. No entries will be accepted after January 15th if they could not reasonably arrive by January 15th. Late entries will NOT be held for the next year's competition.
Please fill out an online form when you mail your art to ensure we have your correct information and we know to expect your art. This helps prevent typographical errors on our part. For schools, please use this form and upload a spreadsheet listing each student and their contact information. (We sometimes need to contact artists years after they entered if their art is selected for special use.) For individual entries, please use this form.
NOTE: Use enough postage, as "postage due" entries will not be accepted.
Entries should be mailed through the postal service to:
International Festival of Owls
PO Box 536
Houston, MN 55943
USA
Entries mailed through DHL, UPS, and FedEx should be mailed to:
International Owl Center
126 E Cedar St
Houston, MN 55943
USA
+1 507-896-6957
Note: Specify Houston, MN as there are multiple towns/cities named "Houston" in the USA.
If you need to include a Harmonization System (tariff) code use:
9701.91.0000 for paintings, drawings, and pastels
9701.22.0000 for mosaics
9701.99.0000 for mixed media
If your shipper requires a contact person and email address:
Andie Harveaux
[email protected]
Prizes:
1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention winners in each age category will be mailed a framed, customized and signed award certificate with a custom wax seal. Winners will receive an email notifying them they have won by the middle of February. Winning pieces may be asked for proof of creation to be submitted prior to receiving an award.
The award certificate will be mailed to winners by end of March, and images will be posted on this website by mid-March. A variety of photos showing a sampling of entries and judging will be posted on our public Facebook page in February and March. Due to the large number of entries, not all artwork will be photographed or displayed, and we cannot notify those that are shown in photographs. We will make every effort to notify artists whose work is placed on special exhibit in museums and galleries or used to make T-shirts, cards, or other items.
1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention winners in each age category will be mailed a framed, customized and signed award certificate with a custom wax seal. Winners will receive an email notifying them they have won by the middle of February. Winning pieces may be asked for proof of creation to be submitted prior to receiving an award.
The award certificate will be mailed to winners by end of March, and images will be posted on this website by mid-March. A variety of photos showing a sampling of entries and judging will be posted on our public Facebook page in February and March. Due to the large number of entries, not all artwork will be photographed or displayed, and we cannot notify those that are shown in photographs. We will make every effort to notify artists whose work is placed on special exhibit in museums and galleries or used to make T-shirts, cards, or other items.
Important Dates:
Entry Start date: Aug. 15, 2026
Entry Close date: Jan. 15. 2027*
Result date: Feb. 28, 2027
*Entries received after Jan. 15th will only be accepted if they were mailed in a way that could reasonably have been expected to arrive by Jan. 15th. Entries that could not have arrived by the deadline will be disqualified from award judging, but may be used for other purposes.
Entry Start date: Aug. 15, 2026
Entry Close date: Jan. 15. 2027*
Result date: Feb. 28, 2027
*Entries received after Jan. 15th will only be accepted if they were mailed in a way that could reasonably have been expected to arrive by Jan. 15th. Entries that could not have arrived by the deadline will be disqualified from award judging, but may be used for other purposes.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.
The 2026 international festival of owls is made possible by:
Major Sponsors
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Houston Public Schools
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Elizabeth Callender King Foundation
* Carl & Verna Schmidt Foundation |
$1,000 Great Gray Owl Enthusiasts
Tricia Jacobs and Family
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$500 Great Horned Owl Advocates
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$250 Barred Owl Contributors
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Houston Lions
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The International Festival of Owls would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors.
Please contact us for information on having your business or organization become a sponsor, and please patronize our sponsors.
Many thanks are due to our prize donors and the army of volunteers that make this event possible.
Please contact us for information on having your business or organization become a sponsor, and please patronize our sponsors.
Many thanks are due to our prize donors and the army of volunteers that make this event possible.