Our City, Our Climate: Youth Art & Writing Contest

Overview

There are two contests: 

1. Narrative: Express your thoughts, through a poem, essay or short story, and tell us about your vision for a resilient and sustainable city. 
2. Graphic: Draw, paint, or design on a computer, art that sends a message and inspires change. 

Each contest has two age divisions. Each age division will have one top submission.  A total of four winning students will be selected as winners and invited to meet Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego in celebration. 

This contest invites all youth, grades 6-12 to submit either an original essay or a piece of visual art. Submissions will be judged in two age divisions: 6th grade - 8th grade and 9th grade - 12th grade.

In addition to meeting Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, the top submissions in each age division will also be featured in either the Climate Action Plan, Food Action Plan, or the Energy Access Plan. Top contestants will additionally receive a “swag” bag with memorabilia and sustainability-themed items from city departments and will be featured on the Office of Environmental Program's official social media platforms, showcasing student achievements and their contributions to the City's sustainability goals. All essays and artwork may also be featured in city publications or displayed at public events.

Official Rules

1. Contest open to all youth, grades 6-12, residing in the City of Phoenix or enrolled in a school in Phoenix.
2. All entries must be the youth’s original work and unpublished. No AI derived or generated or copyright protected content allowed.
3. Contestants may submit no more than one entry per category. 
4. Entries will be accepted through September 30, 2025, via the online submission tool which can be found at the bottom of the page.
5. By entering the contest, contestants and their parent/guardian/teacher give the City of Phoenix permission to use their names, photos, and submissions in digital and print form
6. Submissions containing offensive language, hate speech, explicit content, discriminatory themes, or inappropriate graphics will be automatically disqualified. This contest is intended to provide a safe, respectful, and inclusive space for youth expression. All entries must align with these values. 

Creative Prompts (Choose One)

1. Feeding the Future: Explore how Phoenix can strengthen its local food systems. What does a city with food equity and local agriculture look like? 
2. Cool Down Phoenix: Extreme heat is a challenge in Phoenix. Share your ideas or vision for a cooler, more resilient city through art or writing. What technologies, community designs, or natural solutions would help?
3. Power for Everyone: What does an equitable clean energy future look like? Whether through visual storytelling or an essay, explain how all residents can benefit from sustainable power.
4. Water as a Lasting Resource: Phoenix is a subtropical dessert. This means that the city experiences extremely hot summers and mild winters,  with low amounts of rainfall. Given our climate, what partnerships, technological innovations, or policies could the city and community explore to better preserve our water supply for current and future residents?
5. Your City, Your Climate : Choose your own climate related topic from a broad set of options like sustainable energy for buildings and transportation, waste: reduce/reuse/recycle, heat safety, reliable water supply, healthy food, clean air, and biodiversity.

Awards & Recognition

The four winning submissions will receive $125, be featured in the City of Phoenix Climate Action Plan, Energy Access Plan and/or Food Action Plan and will be invited to meet the Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego in celebration.

General Instructions for Entering

Written Entries:

1. Prepare your document as you normally would for print submission. One of the following file formats is required: jpg, jpeg, gif, png, bmp, tif, psd, pdf, doc, docx, csv, xls, xlsx, txt, mp3, mp4, aac, wav, au, wmv, avi, mpg, mpeg, zip, gz, rar, z, tgz, tar, sitx.
2. Use a standard font (such as Times New Roman), 12-point size.
3. Maximum two pages of content (not including the title page, figures, photos or references), double spaced with standard 1” margins.
4. Your name should not appear anywhere on the document.
5. Once your file is ready to submit, scroll to the bottom of the page.
6. Complete the required information.
7. Select your submission file and upload.

Art Entries:

1. All artwork must be submitted digitally, with a limit of a single page. Please scan or photograph the artwork in high resolution. as JPEG or PNG files (300 DPI) required).
2. A short Artist Statement of no more than 300 words should accompany the art piece with a description of what the piece represents and how it answers the prompt.
3. Must be designed or scanned at 8” x 12” maximum size.
4. Your name should not appear anywhere on the document.
5. Accepted Art Forms: Drawing (pencil, pen, colored pencil, charcoal, etc.), Painting (watercolor, tempera, acrylic, etc.), Collage, Digital illustration or graphic design, Photography (original work, edited or unedited).
6. Once your file is ready to submit, scroll to the bottom of the page.
7. Complete the required information.
8. Select your submission file and upload.

We encourage students of all creative levels to participate. You don’t need to be a professional artist or writer to make a statement just a thoughtful creator with a vision for the future! Your ideas can help Phoenix become a healthier, more vibrant city for everyone.