We are in the final stretch of submissions this year and we want to help answer any last minute questions you may have for this year’s 2018 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

In recent years, the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers team has hosted a Facebook Live event to answer questions ranging from the mailing process of an artwork to issues of plagiarism and originality.

We want to ensure fellow educators, parents, and teens understand the full 2018 “Call for Submissions” process. Check out our most popular and common questions. Good luck, creative teens!

How do I contact my regional Affiliate Partner for the Awards this year?

You can contact your regional Affiliate Partner by visiting our site at artandwriting.org and entering your zip code. This is a great way to confirm deadlines as well, which vary by Affiliate.

How many works can I submit for the 2018 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards?

Generally there are no limitations, but be sure to check with your regional Affiliate Partner as they may have specific limitations.

What about photography or portfolios?

For all students, you are allowed to submit 16 individual works to the photography category.

Remember, the Portfolio category is available only to graduating seniors. Graduating seniors may submit up to two art portfolios and two writing portfolios.

Can I submit works to more than one category?

Absolutely. You can submit to more than one category as long as they are different works. That is to say, you cannot submit the same work to multiple categories and we ask that you choose the best category that fits your work. You can find category descriptions here: artandwriting.org/categories.

For graduating seniors, students can submit the same work in an individual category and also as part of their Portfolio.

How can I submit works for “Special Awards “?

It’s the same way as the regular submission process. Be sure to click “Additional Opportunities” as you check out. And no worries, the submission deadlines are the same as regional deadlines.

Can I submit work that was published/displayed elsewhere?

You can! But please be sure to include a note where it was published or displayed in our “works sources” section of the submissions process.

This goes the same if it was published on a blog or website. Be sure to include any pseudonyms and a list of the blogs where it was published. This prevents us from incorrectly labeling it as plagiarized work.

What if my work was published in a book or received an award from another organization?

Be sure to check that organization does not claim exclusive rights because we may want to share your work in our publications.

If I my work receives a Scholastic Award, can another organization publish it?

If any publication is interested in featuring your work in the initial two-year period after you receive the award, the other publication must include a credit that your piece received a Scholastic Art & Writing Award. Simply use this language to grant permissions to another publication as follows:

The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers hereby grants your organization permission to reprint the following work:

[title of work]

The Alliance for Young Artist & Writers requests that the work be credited to the Alliance in the following manner:

© Alliance for Young Artists & Writers/Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Used with permission.

Do I need to submit my artwork with the submission forms? If I receive an award, do I need to ship my work?

First and foremost, you do not need to send your artwork for the first submission process. If you do receive an award—and depending on what award you receive—you may be featured in a regional or national exhibition. In that case, you will have to ship your work, but we will contact you on how to best ship this, as well as the proper shipping address.

Why do you retain my work for two years?

We retain your work for two years because it takes, on average, about six months to receive, photograph, and frame the work of art, as well as archive the full collection of written works. The awarded works then travel for a full year across our various travel exhibitions, including the Art.Write.Now.2018 National Exhibition in New York City and the year-long Art.Write.Now.Tour and Art.Write.Now.DC exhibits. Finally, it takes an average of six months to gather the works and ship them properly and safely back to the original artist—a very common process with any traveling exhibition.

If I receive a Scholastic Award, who “owns” my art or writing?

The Alliance holds the copyright for the first two years. After those two years, the copyright goes back to you, and the Alliance continues to have a license to use the work non-exclusively. If you receive a National Medal and your artwork is required to be shipped to the national office, we will hold onto your physical submission for two years in order for us to possibly display your work in traveling exhibitions and feature your work in our print, online, and social media communications with supporters, educators, and fellow students. For more information, see our Terms of Use.

Who can sign my form?

Remember, every submission requires a parent/guardian signature, as well as mentor or educator at your school/institution.

Any tips for parents or educators who have questions about their student’s works?

When contacting us with questions about your student’s work, please be sure to include the student’s full name and email address they used to create their account. This will help us quickly find the student’s info and answer your question in a timely fashion.

For more information, please visit our FAQ site or contact info@artandwriting.org.