Coastal Commission opens art and poetry contest for K-12 students
A painting of a garibaldi in a kelp forest by Hanna Galeano, one of the winning entries in the 2026 California Coastal Commission Coastal Art and Poetry Contest, which is now accepting K-12 entries. Image courtesy of the California Coastal Commission
Entries due Jan. 28; winners receive gift certificates and aquarium tickets
– The California Coastal Commission is accepting entries for its California Coastal Art and Poetry Contest for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Students can enter online or by mail. The entry deadline is Thursday, Jan. 28, at 5 p.m., and winners will be announced in April 2027, according to the commission’s flyer.
Winners in art and poetry will be selected in each of five grade-level categories: kindergarten-first grade, second-third, fourth-sixth, seventh-ninth and 10th-12th. Winners receive a $100 gift certificate to an art supply store, courtesy of BLICK Art Materials, or to a bookstore, along with tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Each winner’s teacher will receive a $50 gift certificate from Acorn Naturalists.
All winning and honorably mentioned art and poetry will be part of a traveling exhibit.
For more information, visit www.coastal.ca.gov/art-poetry.
