WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN –Wildlife Forever is proud to announce the 2022 Fish Art Contest is officially open and accepting entries. The free international art and writing competition is the perfect way to inspire youth in kindergarten through 12th grade to discover the outdoors through creative art and writing.

Young people across the world can use their artistic talents while learning about fish, fishing, and aquatic conservation. Participants can win prizes; national and even international recognition. The Art of Conservation® programs ignite a life-long appreciation of fish and wildlife and serves as a powerful outlet for self-expression.

New for the 2022 Fish Art contest, students can draw any fish from around the world. An all-inclusive fish list allows youth to discover more species in other parts of the world and build broader connections with the outdoors. Specialty awards will continue to highlight unique species and feature a selected list for competition.

New!!! Participants can now register and submit their Fish Art entries completely online. Digital and printable entry forms will also be available. International participants are encouraged to submit their entries online.

To enter, participants select a fish species of their choice, then create an original, hand-done illustration. In addition, 4th grade students and above are required to write a brief essay, story or poem based on what they learned and the conservation needs of their chosen species. International students are not required to submit an essay but are welcome to do so.

“This year will also feature conservation materials in Spanish. As a native Spanish speaker, I’m excited to broaden the program. Fish Art is extremely multicultural and builds personal connections to nature. I can’t wait to see some amazing art from around the world. The deadline is March 31st but don’t delay, get started today,” said Priscila Rockwood, Education and Communication Manager at Wildlife Forever.

The Art of Conservation®: The Art of Conservation is an internationally recognized program connecting youth to nature through art and self-discovery. The Fish Art Contest® and Songbird Art Contest™ divisions are extension programs that empower conservation education and youth participation through the arts. The award-winning Fish Art Contest has been inspiring youth and teaching aquatic conservation education for 24 years. As an international art and writing competition, support comes from sponsors, state hosts and partners from around the world such as Bass Pro Shops, the USDA Forest Service, Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, International Game Fish Association, National Fish Habitat Partnership, and others. The newly developed Songbird Art Contest features a select list of eligible species and highlights the conservation needs of songbirds all over the world.

About Wildlife Forever: Our mission is to conserve America's wildlife heritage through conservation education, preservation of habitat and scientific management of fish and wildlife. Wildlife Forever is a non-profit organization dedicated to investing resources on the ground. Recent audits reveal that 97% of every dollar supports our award-winning conservation programs. Please, Join Today to learn more about the Art of Conservation programs, Clean Drain Dry Initiative™, and Prairie City USA® programs. Visit: www.WildlifeForever.org.
 

Contact: Priscila Rockwood, prockwood@wildlifeforever.org