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Florida schoolchildren can hook some artistic creativity

WGCU | By WGCU Staff
Published September 9, 2025 at 10:42 AM EDT
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in partnership with Wildlife Forever, is opening the 2025-26 Florida Fish Art Contest.


This annual program invites kids in grades K-12 from across Florida to connect with nature and learn about the state's native fish and aquatic habitats, while exploring creative art and writing.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in partnership with Wildlife Forever, is opening the 2025-26 Florida Fish Art Contest.

This annual program invites kids in grades K-12 from across Florida to connect with nature and learn about the state's native fish and aquatic habitats, while exploring creative art and writing.

Florida is one of the many participating states of the national Fish Art Contest, contributing to the effort that inspired more than 85,000 kids across the world to become the next generation of outdoor stewards.

A first-place winner and runner-up will be selected for each grade bracket (kindergarten-third grade, fourth-sixth grade, seventh-ninth grade, 10th-12th grade), for each category, one for illustrating the best freshwater fish species and one for the best saltwater fish species.

How to Participate:

  • Select a Florida native fish species from the list on our website to research, focusing on its habitat, behavior and conservation needs.
  • Create an original, handmade creation of the chosen fish. All physical mediums are welcome, no digital artwork.
  • Write a one-page creative writing piece that reflects what you have learned about your chosen species (fourth grade and above).
  • Submit your entry online through the Fish Art Contest entry form page.

All first-place winners and runners-up will receive a variety of prizes and recognition from the FWC. Details on prizing can be found on our website.

The 2025-26 contest is open for submissions until Feb. 28, 2026. Participants can find more information, educational resources and submission guidelines at MyFWC.com/FishArt.

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