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The Division of Arts and Culture promotes arts and culture as essential to quality of life for all Floridians. Para español, seleccione de la lista Department of State Division of Arts and Culture Info and Opportunities Jobs and Opportunities Find an Opportunity Open Theme | XC Creative Art Contest Open Theme | XC Creative Art Contest Call to Artists Details Deadline October 25, 2026 Sponsor NextGen InterArts Foundation Location Description Submission portal is now open: August 20 – October 20, 2026 The XC Creative Art Contest (XCAC) is an international, cross-disciplinary art competition open to students in grades 6–12. Organized by the NextGen InterArts Foundation, XCAC celebrates originality, creative thinking, and artistic expression across a wide range of mediums. ✦ FREE TO ENTEREvery student can submit up to 3 works across categories at no cost. If your work is selected in the top 10%, you will be invited to advance to the final round, which requires a $25 fee to cover judging costs. As a nonprofit organization, this fee directly supports contest administration. ✦ COMPETITION CATEGORIESTraditional Art Drawing, Painting, Photography, Digital Art, Mixed Media, Experimental Photography (New 2026)Science + Art 3D Printing and Art, Kinetic Sculptures, Artistic Circuits, Architectural 3D Modeling, Drawing Robots, Interactive E-Book (New 2026)Performance Art Performance Video, Theater (New 2026 — group submission)Video Art + Music Short Video (Animation/Film), Music VideoLiterature + Art Book Design, Literature Illustration ✦ AWARDS🥇 Gold — Medal + E-Certificate + $1,000 Cash Prize (Top 1) 🥈 Silver — Medal + E-Certificate + $150 Cash Prize (Top 2–6) 🥉 Bronze — Medal + E-Certificate + $150 Cash Prize 🏅 Honorable Mention — E-CertificateTop 15 winners receive a Recommendation Letter. Top 30 winners are invited to exhibit at the MusicOn+ InterArts Festival in Manhattan, New York. ✦ WHY XCAC?Rooted in the STEAM philosophy, XCAC goes beyond traditional art competitions by encouraging students to connect art with science, technology, literature, and performance. Whether your goal is to strengthen a college application portfolio, explore a new medium, or simply share your work with an international audience — XCAC is designed to be an accessible, meaningful milestone in every young artist's journey. ✦ HOW TO SUBMIT1. Visit: www.nextgeninterarts.org/xc-creative-contest2. Complete your student profile (name, nationality, school, teacher info)3. Upload up to 3 artworks with title, category, medium, dimensions, and a brief artist statement4. Submit — it's free! How to Participate ✦ HOW TO SUBMIT1. Visit: www.nextgeninterarts.org/xc-creative-contest2. Complete your student profile (name, nationality, school, teacher info)3. Upload up to 3 artworks with title, category, medium, dimensions, and a brief artist statement4. Submit — it's free! This opportunity has been submitted by Jeff Zhang. The listing of the opportunity does not imply endorsement by the Division of Arts and Culture or the Department of State. Contact NextGen InterArts Foundation with questions or for more information. Ron DeSantis, Governor Cord Byrd, Secretary of State Privacy Policy Accessibility Site Map Questions or comments? Contact Us Submit a public records request. Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. Copyright © 2026 State of Florida, Florida Department of State. Florida Department of State Phone: 850.245.6500 R.A. Gray Building 500 South Bronough Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250 >