2026 Akron-Summit Holocaust Arts and Writing Contest

2026 Theme: ‘‘Holocaust and Genocide:

The Importance of Hope and Resistance”

Contest is open to Ohio Summit County Students grades 6-12

Entry Deadline January 23rd, 2026

Entry Instructions:

  1. Complete the entry form electronically and print the form out to accompany your physical art when you drop it off on or by January 23rd, 2026.
  2. Electronic entry form submission is required unless accommodation is requested.
    1. If you have questions or need an accommodation, please contact Administrator Laura Ralph at AkronSummitHolocaustEducation@gmail.com or call 243-200-6241. All accommodations must be approved prior to deadline.

REQUIREMENTS – This is what you must do to enter the contest if you want to win! You should check off this list as you work.

  1. Choose a type of media (art form), such as a drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, wood carving, photograph, etc.
  2. This year all artwork submitted must be individual work. Do not write your name on the front! Please write it on the back.
  3. Choose your sources. Do you want to use a history book, a biography, an interview, a museum, an article? Reliable sources can be found in the “Resource List” at https://akronsummitholocausteducation.org
  4. Use your research to develop your art around the 2026 theme “Holocaust and Genocide:The Importance of Hope and Resistance.” Any plagiarized or Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated entries will be immediately disqualified.
  5. Make sure your artwork meets these requirements:
    1. 2-dimensional (2D) work such as a drawing or painting may not exceed 24×24 inches. If you are submitting multiple pieces, their combined dimensions must not exceed 24×24.
    2. 3-dimensional (3D) work such as a sculpture or wood carving may not exceed a total of 60 inches (height + width + depth) and a total weight of 20 lbs. If you are submitting multiple pieces as parts of an entry, their combined dimensions must not exceed 60 inches and 20 lbs.
    3. Digital work such as photography should be one piece with no more than 10 images. If you are submitting multiple images, the combined 10 images should not exceed 24×24 inches. Digital work should be submitted online and by flash drive.
    4. Physical art will need to be durable or stable enough for it to be moved. No glass may be used.
  6. DO NOT include any items of significant independent monetary value in your entry as if you win it will be displayed in the Public Library.
  7. Develop your art!
  8. Create an artist’s statement that includes the art form or media of the work and an explanation of the intent of the artwork and how it connects to the theme. The artist’s statement should be included with the entry form and not exceed 200 words.
  9. MANDATORY – Create a “Works Cited” list that includes ALL your sources both cited and inspirational. All copyright protected sources used must be cited! Ask your teacher or a trusted adult for help with this if you need it. You do not need to follow any specific format for the “Works Cited” list. For class entries a whole class “Works Cited” list may be emailed to the contest administrator.
  10. Submit your artwork, works cited, artist’s statement, and entry form by the January 23rd, 2026 due date.
  11.  See the complete REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES FOR VISUAL ART at https://akronsummitholocausteducation.org/ for more information.

Go back

Your message has been sent

I understand the guidelines of the Akron-Summit Holocaust Arts and Writing Contest. The Akron-Summit Holocaust Contest; Akron-Summit Council on Holocaust & Genocide Education; Summit County; City of Akron; Jewish Akron and their representatives are not responsible for any damage or breakage to my entry. I understand that I should not include anything of significant monetary value in my work. This work is my original effort. I have submitted only one entry in Art and/or Writing. I understand that the Akron-Summit Holocaust Arts and Writing Contest; Akron-Summit Council on Holocaust & Genocide Education; Summit County; City of Akron; Jewish Community Board of Akron reserves the right to reproduce, publish, exhibit, and/or use any/all entries or photos for publicity. I understand each entrant is eligible to receive only one prize.

Signatures

Submit this entry form electronically and drop off a copy of the first page with your artwork. If you cannot submit the entry form electronically, please contact the contest administrator at the email listed above, call (234) 200-6241 to request accommodation OR drop off the entire form with your physical artwork submission on January 23rd, 2026 at the Ohio Building, 175 S. Main St., Akron-8th floor between 11am and 6pm EST. Good luck!