Contest Overview

2020 Theme | Climate Hope: Transforming Crisis

A CREATIVE CHALLENGE FOR TEENS WORLDWIDE
The global Ocean Awareness Contest is a platform for young people to learn about ocean issues through art-making and creative communication, and where teens can explore their relationship to a changing world and become advocates for environmental action. Students ages 11-18 from are invited to participate.
Artwork by Gwenan Walker
Your voices, visions, and stories of hope are needed to help transform the world.

The 2020 Ocean Awareness Contest is a call for young artists, conservationists, makers, thinkers, and activists who are concerned about the future of our blue planet. Join thousands of youth around the world in our annual program that raises awareness about the climate crisis and potential solutions, uplifts youth voices for ocean conservation, and inspires hope and action through art, creative media, and storytelling.

Download Contest information packet >

How to Enter
CONTEST DEADLINE: JUNE 15, 2020
Artwork by Gwenan Walker

Artwork by Raney Wilson
Our blue planet is in crisis.

Earth is a blue planet, with oceans covering more than 70% of its surface. Oceans play a central role in regulating Earth’s climate and act as a buffer that protects us from human-caused global warming; but oceans are feeling the heat. Climate change—primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas—is changing water temperature and chemistry, altering marine habitats, and threatening marine life. Rising sea levels and extreme weather events are endangering and displacing millions of people who live on the coast. Learn more about oceans & climate change >

Artwork by Jesse Dong
Climate hope is an invitation for curiosity, imagination, and creativity.

The good news is, there is much cause for hope: individuals, communities and cities, organizations and movements (largely youth-led!) around the globe are already working to slow the climate crisis and drive the transition away from destructive, polluting, and unjust practices to systems that respect, value, and protect the diversity of life on Earth.

From how we get around to how we eat to how we power our lives, transformative solutions to the climate crisis are rooted in imagination and energized by having hope that what we create matters. Explore solutions & read more about climate hope >

Artwork by Jesse Dong
Art by Ciara Casarez
WHAT CAN YOU CREATE?

Climate Hope: Transforming Crisis invites students to learn about the climate crisis and its impact on oceans; discover or imagine solutions at local, national, or global scales; and create work that explores hope in action.

Submissions are accepted in:
  • Visual Art
  • Film
  • Music
  • Poetry
  • Prose
  • *NEW* Interactive & Multimedia
Art by Ava Bruns
Who May Enter

Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate in the Ocean Awareness Contest. Enter the division based on your age at the time of entry:

  • Junior Division: Age 11-14
  • Senior Division: Age 15-18

Students can participate as an individual or as a club, class, or group of any size.

All students must also provide the contact information for an Adult Sponsor (teacher, parent, mentor, etc.).

Art by Ava Bruns
Why participate?
  • Gain knowledge about a critical issue facing your generation: dive into Bow Seat’s NEW Resource Studio to learn more about climate change and our oceans, explore solutions being created all over the world, and find resources for taking action in your community.
  • Build your portfolio and make art in your preferred medium, or practice a new creative skill! Add to your resume with a global participation certificate.
  • Develop 21st Century skills in communication, critical thinking, creativity, and advocacy. Use your artwork to raise awareness of the most important issue facing our blue planet.
  • Join Bow Seat’s global community of 12,000+ young people who care about our ocean and climate action, and be represented in an international digital activation experience. Be inspired by the work of other young creators around the world.
  • Earn cash awards and scholarships of up to $1,500.
Get Started

Awards

Cash awards are presented in each of the categories in both the Junior and Senior divisions:

Junior Division
Senior Division
Gold Award
$1,000
$1,500
Silver Award
$750
$1,000
Bronze Award
$250
$500
Honorable Mention
$100
$250
Additional Awards Available in 2020
Hometown Award (Boston students only)

This award recognizes students in our hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. These merit-based awards will take students’ financial conditions into account. Up to 3 winners in each age division will each receive a $250 cash scholarship.

More Information >

Making Waves Award

The Making Waves Award will be presented to one submission in each age division that is used to inspire hope and action in participants’ schools or communities. Eligible participants will be required to describe how their submission was used in a campaign, initiative, or event to creatively raise awareness for ocean conservation and climate action. Examples include (but are not limited to): Documentary (Film submission) screened at a community event about climate change; op-eds or letters to the editor (Prose submission) published in a town newspaper; poster (Art submission) created for a school or community composting program. Show us how you are making waves in your community, and you may earn a $500 cash prize!

Publishing, Art Exhibitions, and Special Opportunities

As a winner, you may have a special opportunity to showcase your talents worldwide while raising awareness of ocean issues to a broader community. Bow Seat organizes art exhibitions, pop up art shows, and film screenings; curates anthologies of art and poetry; finds opportunities to publish student writing; and showcases all winning student work in our online gallery. As part of Bow Seat’s student art collection, your creative piece will help to educate and inspire audiences to take action!

Upcoming Exhibits