Holiday Card Art Competition 2025

Students in North Carolina are invited to participate in the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor (OSA) Holiday Card Art Competition, a statewide competition that showcases young artists' talents. The winning piece will be displayed on OSA’s holiday card. The top 20 entries will be displayed in OSA’s Raleigh office. Before submitting, review the guidelines carefully to ensure your artwork meets eligibility and submission requirements. The class of whoever wins will receive a pizza party!

Competition Rules:

Tab/Accordion Items

  • Paintings - including oil, acrylics, and watercolor.
  • Drawings - including pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, and markers (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)
  • Collages - must be two-dimensional.
  • Prints - including lithographs, silkscreen, and block prints.
  • Mixed Media - use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
  • Computer-generated art (does not include Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated art).
  • Photography.

All entries must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate any U.S. copyright laws.

Any entry copied from an existing photo or image (including a painting, graphic, or advertisement) created by someone (including AI) other than the student is a violation of the competition rules and will not be accepted.

All entries must be submitted by 11:59 PM on November 24, 2025.

High-quality photo(s) or video(s) submissions via email are preferred.

If submitting via mail is necessary, please contact Kelly Mann, 919-807-7739 or Kelly.Mann@ncauditor.gov.

For students under the age of 18, each submission must be accompanied by a Release Form, signed by the student artist, parent or guardian and art teacher. For students over the age of 18, each submission must be accompanied by a Release Form, signed by the student artist and art teacher.

Student Information & Release Form

How to Submit:

Tab/Accordion Items

Email your artwork to constituentservices@ncauditor.gov with the subject line: Holiday Card Art Submission – [Student Name].

  • Include your full name, grade level, school name, and a short description of your artwork
  • Include a copy of your completed release form
     

All submissions will be evaluated by a panel of judges using the following selection criteria:

Tab/Accordion Items

  • How clearly and creatively does the artwork reflect North Carolina and holiday spirit?
  • Does the piece evoke seasonal traditions, landscapes, cultural elements, or local celebrations?
  • Is the theme integrated in a meaningful and original way?

  • Effective use of space, balance, and visual flow.
  • Strong composition that guides the viewer’s eye and supports the theme.
  • Thoughtful arrangement of elements such as color, shape, texture, and line.

  • Unique perspective or concept that sets the piece apart.
  • Inventive use of materials or techniques.
  • Avoids clichés or overly literal interpretations.

  • Clean execution and attention to detail.
  • Appropriate use of medium (e.g., paint, pencil, digital, mixed media).
  • Neat presentation (e.g., no smudges, crooked scans, or visible backgrounds).

  • Emotional resonance or narrative conveyed through the artwork.
  • Does the piece catch the eye and hold attention?
  • Does it tell a story or evoke a mood that aligns with the holiday season in North Carolina?

  • Low-resolution or poorly scanned images.
  • Incomplete or missing submission information.
  • Artwork that does not adhere to the theme.
  • Plagiarism or use of copyrighted or AI material.
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