Art contest invites Illinois students to reflect on America's 250th anniversary

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The United States is celebrating its 250th birthday next year, and an upcoming Illinois art contest invites students to reflect on what the milestone means to them.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the Illinois State Board of Education will have a themed contest titled "America 250 - Reflections through Art."

Students will be asked to use their imaginations, visualize their emotions or ideas and more, according to an ALPLM press release.

This contest is open to students from kindergarten through high school, and will be divided into four groups: K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Every grade group will have a winner and two runners-up.

Winners will be announced March 10, and winners and runners-up will have their work displayed at ALPLM through May 8. The winners' artwork will even be displayed on a poster and sent to schools during Arts Education Week, running March 9-13, 2026.

Submissions can be up to 11 inches by 14 inches, and cannot feature copyrighted characters.

Additional information is available online.

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