Social Justice Youth Art Contest
To bring greater awareness of the importance of teaching social justice themes, ESJ sponsors an annual Social Justice Youth Art Contest. We call for K-12 students to reflect on the theme of our conference through art. The winning submission becomes the colorful visual of our conference flyer, program cover & web page.
We had such an overwhelming response this year to our youth art contest.
Each youth expressed their visual thoughts on social justice and how it is viewed through their eyes.
We want to encourage everyone who participated to continue expressing your thoughts
and continue to expand your voice in speaking your truth in your community.
We had such an overwhelming response this year to our youth art contest.
Each youth expressed their visual thoughts on social justice and how it is viewed through their eyes.
We want to encourage everyone who participated to continue expressing your thoughts
and continue to expand your voice in speaking your truth in your community.
Congratulations to our Winner
from Roosevelt High School in St. Louis!
Thank you to all who submitted!
All submissions can be seen in the slide show below.
Submission Details
*Deadline: October 15, 2018
*Open to all youth, ages 18 and under.
*Submissions must be emailed to Natalie Coriell at [email protected]
*Each artwork submission must be accompanied by a completed Submission Form (downloadable from link below).
*Submissions must be sized to 8 ½ x 11-inches. Any suitable art materials or a computer-generated design may be utilized, including photography.
*The contest will be juried by a local artist from the Living Arts Studio and the Board of Educators for Social Justice.
*Submitting your art grants permission to ESJ to reproduce the art to promote the conference on our website, program, flyer, social media and future publicity. Artwork will be used in its entirety and not be altered, and will be attributed to the artist including their age and grade level.
*The Submission Form must be typed or printed legibly in ink & signed. Writing on the Submission Form may be scripted by an adult, but original language must come from the student.
*Click here to see examples of past youth artwork on our flyers.
*Click here for a GoogleSlides presentation that can be useful in prompting young people to learn, think, discuss & create around our conference theme: "Borders & Boundaries and the Spaces in Between".
*Open to all youth, ages 18 and under.
*Submissions must be emailed to Natalie Coriell at [email protected]
*Each artwork submission must be accompanied by a completed Submission Form (downloadable from link below).
*Submissions must be sized to 8 ½ x 11-inches. Any suitable art materials or a computer-generated design may be utilized, including photography.
*The contest will be juried by a local artist from the Living Arts Studio and the Board of Educators for Social Justice.
*Submitting your art grants permission to ESJ to reproduce the art to promote the conference on our website, program, flyer, social media and future publicity. Artwork will be used in its entirety and not be altered, and will be attributed to the artist including their age and grade level.
*The Submission Form must be typed or printed legibly in ink & signed. Writing on the Submission Form may be scripted by an adult, but original language must come from the student.
*Click here to see examples of past youth artwork on our flyers.
*Click here for a GoogleSlides presentation that can be useful in prompting young people to learn, think, discuss & create around our conference theme: "Borders & Boundaries and the Spaces in Between".
Contest Winners
The Youth Art Contest winner will receive:
- the honor of published artwork for the ESJ conference flyer, program, web page, & social media. (Great for an art portfolio!)
- a $100 Artmart Gift Card
- recognition on stage at the 2019 Educating for Change Curriculum Fair at Maplewood Richmond Heights High School on Saturday, February 9, 2019. You will be invited and encouraged to speak on stage about your art and its connection to the conference theme.
- free entrance to the conference for you and your family (a list of family names attending must be provided to [email protected] no later than January 15, 2019).
Questions?
Please contact Natalie Coriell at [email protected] for questions or comments. Thank you for your interest!
2018 Winner!
ESJ is proud to announce Eileen S. (age 13) as the winner of our 2018 Social Justice Youth Art Contest!
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ORIGINAL ARTWORK
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2018 CONFERENCE FLYER
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EILEEN'S DESCRIPTION ON HOW HER ART BUILDS COUNTER-NARRATIVES FOR RADICAL HEALING & HOPE:
"There are 6 different people, their faces are split in half. One side is how they really are, the other is their race’s stereotype.My artwork reflects these themes-social justice, healing, and hope-by showing that people are not just their race/gender/sexuality that people expect them to be. They are individuals with likes, hobbies, and dislikes, and they are being shown more and more, that is why the color in the actual person’s background has color, which makes it stand out more. Also, the colors are bright, which shows a bright future." -Eileen S. (Age 13)
2018 Runners Up!
Thank you to all who submitted inspiring social justice artwork. We hope you submit again next year!
"In my artwork, there is a fist. On the inside of it are some of the people with color that have been killed by police unarmed. And in the back, Black Lives Matter. My artwork reflects social justice, healing and hope because it shows black lives matter. Also, that is not okay for an assumption to take someone’s life." Bailey, age 12
"My picture is about any person that’s going through something and has overcome it. So, everyone and anyone need to turn their back on the bad/evil. My artwork is reflecting social justice, healing and hope is when the people are doing the bad things to your family or you, you turn your back on them. And hope for the best by not going with them but changing your ways and start the healing section of your life." -Shakira, age 16
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"In my artwork, women are looking out with an expression of hope for change. They are three difference races, but more than just three different colors or hair or eyes. This reflects social justice because it shows our differences as part of what we are. The three faces all come from the same whole strong body. The faces embrace differences, but all share the same expression of hope." -Abby, age 13
“I have peace signs and hearts and love and circles. Peace is going to give freedom to peoples. It helps people be kind.”
-Abigail, age 8 
“There’s no people by there’s signs about getting people to “speak up.” A peace sign and a pizze to represent sharing. The idea is for people to talk about their problems and come together.” -Grant, age 8
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2017 Winner
Antigone Simone Chambers-Reed
Age 13, 8th Grade
"Untitled"
Age 13, 8th Grade
"Untitled"
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2016 Winner
2014 Winner
2013 Winner
Stasya Jurassik
Age 12, 6th Grade
Title: "Social Justice is an umbrella word protecting our world"
Age 12, 6th Grade
Title: "Social Justice is an umbrella word protecting our world"
2011 Winner
