International Student Art Competition 2026

Your artwork deserves
a global stage.

Submit traditional art or AI-assisted digital design. Compete across three age groups. Exhibit your work live in Hong Kong or Bangkok. Win recognition that opens doors.

Early Bird

$25

Until Sep 30

Standard

$35

From Oct 1

Deadline

Oct 31

Artwork due

3 age groups · 2 categories · 30+ countries · Live finals HK / Bangkok · Certificates for all participants

Category A

Traditional Art

Handmade artwork with physical media — drawing, painting, watercolour, ink, pastels, mixed media. Judged on craft, composition, theme, and visual impact.

Drawing Painting Watercolour Mixed media

Two separate judging pools

Category B

AI-Assisted Digital Design

AI tools (Canva, Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, Procreate) + mandatory 1-page process document. Judged on creative direction — not just the AI's output.

Canva Midjourney Adobe Firefly Any AI tool

Why enter the Emerald Prize

More than a competition.
A credential.

🌏

Truly international

Students from 30+ countries. Separate judging pools by age group and category — your child competes fairly.

⚖️

Fair by design

Traditional and AI-assisted work are never judged against each other. Separate panels, separate medals. Equal prestige.

🏛️

Live exhibition

Finalist works exhibited at the finals venue in Hong Kong or Bangkok alongside 300+ students from 30+ countries.

📜

Certificates for all

Every student who submits receives a participation certificate. Winners and finalists receive award certificates suitable for university applications.

Competition categories

Two paths. One stage.

Whether you create by hand or design with AI — there's a category built for you. Each is judged by specialists in that field, never against each other.

Category A

Traditional Art

Grades 1–12 · Ages 6–18 · All age groups

Handmade artwork created with physical media. Celebrates craftsmanship, technique, and the irreplaceable quality of work made by human hands. No digital tools in the creation process.

DrawingPaintingWatercolour InkPastelsMixed mediaCollage

Submit as a high-resolution photo of the physical artwork. Finalists must retain the original for potential exhibition display.

Category B

AI-Assisted Digital Design

Grades 1–12 · Ages 6–18 · All age groups

Digital artwork created with AI tools, celebrating creative direction and the emerging skill of working with AI as a creative partner. The student's thinking matters more than the AI's output.

CanvaMidjourneyAdobe Firefly ProcreateAffinityAny AI tool

⚠️ Mandatory: 1-page process document showing your creative journey — prompts, iterations, decisions. Entries without it are disqualified.

Age groups & 2026 themes

Three groups. Three themes.

Students compete within their age group only. Each group has its own annual theme — open to interpretation across all cultures and backgrounds.

Primary Group

Primary

Grades 1–5 · Ages 6–11

2026 Theme

My World

Middle Group

Middle

Grades 6–9 · Ages 11–15

2026 Theme

My Culture

Senior Group

Senior

Grades 10–12 · Ages 15–18

2026 Theme

My Vision

Judging criteria

How entries are scored

Each entry is scored out of 100 across five criteria. All scores are age-relative — a Primary student is never compared against Senior standards.

Criterion 1 · 20 pts

Theme interpretation

How meaningfully the artwork engages with the annual theme. A personal, genuine response always outscores a literal one.

Criterion 2 · 20 pts

Technical skill & craft

Control of the chosen medium relative to age. Confident brushwork at 7 scores higher than hesitant technique at 16.

Criterion 3 · 20 pts

Composition & visual design

Use of space, balance, colour, and visual arrangement. Rewards intentional visual thinking at every age.

Criterion 4 · 20 pts

Originality & creative voice

Work that could only have come from this student. Copying without transformation scores low at every age.

Criterion 5 · 20 pts

Overall impact

Immediate visual power and lasting impression. A simple drawing with genuine feeling can outscore a technically complex piece that leaves no impression.

Award thresholds: 80–100 Gold 65–79 Silver 50–64 Bronze

⚠️ Process document is mandatory. Entries without one are automatically disqualified — it carries 40% of the total score.

Criterion 1 · 20 pts · Process doc

Creative direction & concept

What was the original concept? How did it evolve? Judges reward students who directed the AI, not those who accepted its first output.

Criterion 2 · 20 pts · Process doc

Prompting & iteration

Show 2–3+ iterations with explanation of what changed and why. Single-prompt entries score in the lowest band regardless of image quality.

Criterion 3 · 20 pts · Final image

Theme interpretation

How powerfully the final image communicates the annual theme. Age-relative, same as Category A.

Criterion 4 · 20 pts · Final image

Aesthetic quality & composition

Visual strength of the finished piece. A great AI image with a weak process document still scores low overall — criteria 1–2 balance this.

Criterion 5 · 20 pts · Process doc

Reflection & learning

What did the student learn? Honest, specific reflection scores highest. Perfect prose is not required — genuine thinking is.

Award thresholds: 80–100 Gold 65–79 Silver 50–64 Bronze

Judging panel

Meet the judges

The Emerald Prize judging panel combines professional artists, art educators, and design experts. Category A and B are judged by separate panels — never against each other.

Lead Judges

🎨

Lead Judge — Category A

To be announced

Art educator · Hong Kong

Specialist in traditional visual arts and youth art education. Brings professional gallery and curriculum experience to the judging panel.

🖥️

Lead Judge — Category B

To be announced

Digital designer · AI creative educator

Expert in AI-assisted creative workflows and digital design pedagogy. Evaluates creative direction, not just AI output quality.

Judging Panel

👩‍🎨

Panel Judge

Art & design specialist · to be confirmed

🏛️

Panel Judge

University faculty · to be confirmed

✏️

Panel Judge

Creative industry professional · to be confirmed

Awards & recognition

Win recognition that matters.

Awards are given separately for each category and each age group — so every student competes on a level playing field.

🥇

First Place

Gold Award

Gold award certificate + trophy

Featured in EHV publication

Social media feature

Live ceremony at finals venue

🥈

Second Place

Silver Award

Silver award certificate

Name in competition catalogue

Digital recognition package

🥉

Third Place

Bronze Award

Bronze award certificate

Name in competition catalogue

Digital certificate

Awarded per category, per age group: Gold, Silver, and Bronze are available separately in Category A and B, across Primary, Middle, and Senior groups. Every student who submits receives a participation certificate. Finalists receive a distinct finalist certificate.

Entry fees

Simple, transparent pricing

One fee per student covers submission, participation certificate, and finalist exhibition if selected. Register early to save $10.

Save $10

Early Bird Rate

$25

Per student · Ends September 30, 2026

One artwork submission (Category A or B)

Participation certificate for every entrant

Finalist certificate if selected

Work exhibited at finals venue if finalist

Name in official competition catalogue

Standard Rate

$35

Per student · From October 1, 2026

One artwork submission (Category A or B)

Participation certificate for every entrant

Finalist certificate if selected

Work exhibited at finals venue if finalist

Name in official competition catalogue

👩‍🏫 School coordinators: Register multiple students in one submission. Download the school coordinator kit — includes Canva announcement poster, bulk registration guide, and classroom prep materials. Contact competitions@emeraldhv.com

EHV Finals Week · December 4–6

One trip. Three competitions.
A whole cohort.

Emerald Prize finalists share the finals venue with A-ISPC (AI Science) and A-IBFC (Business & Finance) — the same week, one unforgettable experience, 300+ students from 30+ countries.

Science & AI

A-ISPC 2026

International AI-Assisted Science Project Competition. Online prelim rounds with live finals at Hong Kong or Bangkok. $25 early bird.

Visit aispc2026.org →

Business & Finance

A-IBFC 2026

Financial literacy & entrepreneurship challenge. Team quiz bowl and 8-minute live pitch finals. Two tracks for Grades 7–12.

Visit aibfc.org →

All three competitions

EHV Finals Week

December 4–6 · Hong Kong or Bangkok · 300+ students · 30+ countries · Joint awards ceremony · One venue, three competitions running simultaneously.

Learn more →

Who can enter

Open to all. Everywhere.

🎓

Grades 1–12 worldwide

Any secondary or primary school student globally. Primary (Gr 1–5), Middle (Gr 6–9), and Senior (Gr 10–12) groups ensure fair competition.

🌐

Any country, any school

International, national, or homeschool students are all welcome. We especially encourage entries from Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Hong Kong.

🎨

Original work only

Artwork must be the student's own original creation. Category B entries must include a process document showing creative decisions made.

👩‍🏫

School group entries welcome

Teachers and coordinators can register entire classes or cohorts. Bulk registration available — contact us for the school coordinator kit.

🔒

No prior experience needed

First-time competitors are as welcome as experienced artists. Judges evaluate work within age group and category — not against professional standards.

📋

One entry per student

Each student may submit one artwork to either Category A or B. Choose the category that best matches how you created your work.

Finals venue

Hong Kong or Bangkok. December 2026.

📍

Venue

Cyberport, Hong Kong SAR
or Bangkok — TBC

📅

Finals dates

December 4–6, 2026

🖼️

Exhibition schedule

Dec 4 — Art exhibition setup
Dec 5 — Exhibition open + judging
Dec 6 — Joint awards ceremony

🌍

Co-located events

A-ISPC 2026 and A-IBFC 2026 run simultaneously — 300+ students from 30+ countries

Hong Kong's government-backed technology and innovation hub — a venue that gives the competition genuine international prestige.

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know

Can a student enter both Category A and B?

No — each student selects one category. The entry fee covers one submission. Choose the category that best reflects how you made your artwork.

What file format should I submit?

High-resolution JPEG or PNG (minimum 2400px on the long side). Category B entries must also include a 1-page PDF process document alongside the image.

Do finalists need to travel to Hong Kong or Bangkok?

Travel is encouraged but not required. Physical artwork will be displayed on behalf of finalists who cannot attend. The awards ceremony will be streamed online.

How is Category B judged — isn't it just the AI's work?

No. Category B judges evaluate the process document (40% of score), which shows the student's creative direction, prompt iterations, and reflection. A beautiful AI image with no process doc is disqualified.

How many students can a school enter?

There is no limit. Schools can enter as many students as they want. Each student registers and competes independently.

When are results announced?

Finalists are notified by November 15, 2026. Final results are announced at the awards ceremony on December 6, then published on emeraldprize.com.

Your artwork deservesa global stage.

More than a competition.A credential.

Two paths. One stage.

Three groups. Three themes.

How entries are scored

Meet the judges

Your competition calendar

Win recognition that matters.

Simple, transparent pricing

One trip. Three competitions.A whole cohort.

Open to all. Everywhere.

Hong Kong or Bangkok. December 2026.

Everything you need to know