Atlantic Shark Art Contest

Atlantic Shark Art Contest Overview

To celebrate 30 years of successful U.S. Atlantic shark fisheries management, NOAA Fisheries is launching a campaign focused on providing fact-based shark information to the public. To kick-start this campaign, we are inviting kindergarten through eighth grade students to participate in our Atlantic Shark Art Contest to raise awareness about Atlantic sharks. Atlantic sharks are important apex predators, and informing and engaging our youth is necessary to address misinformation and misconceptions about sharks, shark conservation, and sustainable shark fisheries management. Winning artwork will be included in a calendar highlighting the importance of sharks to healthy ecosystems and NOAA Fisheries’ successes in shark conservation through sustainable shark fisheries management. 

Who is eligible to enter the contest?

All students in kindergarten through eighth grade from all U.S. states and territories in recognized public, private, and home schools are eligible to participate. Schools, including home schools, must be in compliance with federal and state civil rights and nondiscrimination statutes. Students may submit entries on their own or as part of a classroom, but must work individually.

Entry Requirements

Each entry must be composed of a piece of artwork and a description. All entries must meet the requirements below. A NOAA awards panel will collect all entries and select 13 winners to be featured in an Atlantic shark art calendar. Entries will be judged on the creativity, artistic presentation, and relevance to at least one of the three themes:

1. The important role Atlantic sharks play in their ecosystem to support healthy oceans and fisheries 
2. The diversity of Atlantic sharks and their habitats
3. Unique biological characteristics of Atlantic sharks 

Artwork and Description Requirements

We strongly encourage highlighting federally-managed Atlantic shark species so the Atlantic shark calendar reflects the wide range of shark species found in the Atlantic Ocean.  

1. One entry per student
2. The entries must be on a single sheet of 8.5” x 11” paper, landscape
3. Use white, non-glossy paper; do not laminate
4. Any art medium may be used (e.g., colored pencils, crayons, paint)
5. Artwork must be hand-drawn by the student
6. Artwork must be flat (e.g., no glued pieces or glitter) and able to be scanned
7. Avoid labeling items with any brand names in the artwork
8. A title or short description must accompany the artwork

Entry Submission

Entries may be submitted by mail or electronically but must be (postmarked) or time-stamped no later than April 30, 2023. 

NOAA Fisheries will announce contest winners in June 2023.

Submitting Entries by Mail

Mail your entry to: 

Atlantic Shark Art Contest

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Management Division 

NMFS SSMC3 F/SF1
1315 East-West Highway,
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Label each mail entry on the back in pencil (marker bleeds through the artwork) with the student’s name, age, and grade; the teacher’s name, school name, address, and telephone number; and the title or a description of the artwork.

Submitting Entries Electronically

Email your entry to: nmfs.shark.artcontest@noaa.gov.

• Attach the artwork as a JPEG, PNG, or TIFF
• Make sure your artwork is high resolution (scanning is encouraged), not crooked, and is easy to see and/or read
• Include in the body of the email the student’s name, age, and grade; the teacher’s name, school name, address, and telephone number; and a description of the artwork 
• Please note: Our email system will not accept emails with attachments larger than 18MB. If you are submitting multiple entries via email, please number them, send them in individual emails, or reach out to confirm we have received all of your entries

Ownership

Submissions become property of NOAA Fisheries. Through submission of artwork, entrants and their legal guardians grant non-exclusive reproduction and publication rights to the works. 

If you have any questions, please email us at nmfs.shark.artcontest@noaa.gov.