Keiki artists encouraged to enter annual Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Art Awards

Lexus Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) present the 2025-2026 Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Art Awards. Between Oct. 1 and Dec. 12, students from public, private, charter and home school institutions between grades 7 through 12 are invited to submit artwork that demonstrates craftsmanship, creativity and purpose.

The Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Art Awards are part of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers’ Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. Regional entries are considered for Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention awards. 

Gold Key awardees will have their art displayed in the turnaround gallery located in the Lē‘ahi Gallery of Capitol Modern: the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum as part of the 63rd Annual Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition in Spring 2026, and will be automatically considered for national awards, including Gold Medal, Silver Medal and scholarship awards. In addition, selections of award-winning work will be showcased at regional, national and traveling exhibitions, as well as in the annual art catalog.

Each year, an average of eight to nine entrants from the Hawaiʻi region go on to compete at the national level. National Medalists and their educators are honored with a star-studded ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Recent guests include Oprah Winfrey, Kelly Clarkson, Mayim Bialik and Jamie Lee Curtis. Notable alumni of the program include John Lithgow, Stephen King and Andy Warhol. 

“The Scholastic Art Awards empower young artists across the state to dream boldly, create with purpose and share their voice through art,” said Kamakani Konia, SFCA Art in Public Places Program director and State Art Museum director. “We are thrilled to, once again, offer keiki the opportunity to compete on a national stage among talented peers from across the country.”

Regional Awards

For this year’s Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Art Awards, twenty students statewide will also receive Lexus Hawaiʻi’s Takumi Award, which includes a $200 cash prize, statewide recognition and feature opportunities. The award is named after Lexus’ Takumi philosophy, honoring master artisans who perfect their craft and are guided by patience, mastery and purpose in every detail. 

Up to two nationally recognized Gold or Silver Key-winning students will also receive Lexus Hawaiʻi’s Visionary Award, which includes a $4,000 scholarship, plus a $4,000 grant for the student’s school in support of its art program. Award submissions will be reviewed by a group of local artists, creative professionals and cultural administrators. 

To enter or learn more about the 2025-2026 Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Art Awards, visit https://www.artandwriting.org/regions/HI001A.