Call Description

Mattie Parker High School Art Competition 2026
10th Annual HS Art Competition
Exhibition Dates: May 9, 2026- May 23, 2026
Award Ceremony: May 9, 2-4 p.m. at Fort Works Art Gallery
Jurors: TBA

Awards: Trophies and Awards will be presented to 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place. First-place artwork will be featured in the Mayor's office for the duration of one year, following a special presentation with Mayor Mattie Parker at a future City Hall Meeting. The top selections will be featured in a 2-week exhibition at Fort Works Art.

We are also pleased to announce for a third year, a unique scholarship opportunity, offering a student the chance to attend The Texas Academy of Figurative Art (TAFA) Summer Teen Workshop over the 2025 summer holiday. For more information, check out their website https://www.tafastudio.org/

Eligibility: MATTIE PARKER HIGH SCHOOL ART COMPETITION is open to all high school students in Fort Worth, TX, and surrounding areas within a 30-mile radius. Works must be 2-D or 3-D. All works must be original and completed within the last year. All works must be available to showcase and available for purchase through the entire run of the show. Do not submit works for the jury that might be sold before or shown elsewhere during the MATTIE PARKER ART 2026 show time frame.

Size Limitations: Two-dimensional works, when displayed, cannot exceed 48” in height or width, including frame. Three-dimensional works cannot exceed 24" in height or width.

Participating Schools: All high schools within a 30-mile radius of Fort Worth.
Entry Fee and Procedures: One, two, or three digital images may be submitted via CaFÉ with NO ENTRY FEE.
If you require additional information e-mail us at info@fortworksart.com.

Submitting Images for Jurying: All entries (information and images) will be accepted through the CaFÉ website. To apply you must use a personal email to sign up for a CaFÉ account. Do not use your teacher's email address.
1) Each entrant may submit up to three digital images of three different artworks.
2) Each work must be represented by only one image (no detail views or duplicates).

Instructions on how to format images to CaFÉ specifications can be found under the Media Prep tab.
 

Juror’s choices will be announced via e-mail and through Instagram no later than April 20th, 2026. 

All 2-D works must have hangers or be wired for hanging. All works must have proper hardware and/or wiring to hang if it is a wall piece. Frames are encouraged but not required. Mattes are required if unframed. 

Works must be delivered by May 2nd, 2026 at the latest to Fort Works Art Gallery. Gallery hours for drop off are Tue-Sat 11-5 pm.  If other arrangements need to be made please contact the gallery by phone at 817.759.9475.

FORT WORKS ART: Fort Works Art is committed to bringing life, vitality, and energy to the art scene in Fort Worth, TX.  They are a resource for both seasoned collectors and the everyday individual.  Existing somewhere between a gallery, a cultural center, and a museum, Fort Works Art strives to continually evolve into its' own entity, free from the traditional labels of the art world. They exist to support the arts, to give back to the community, and to inspire youth.
 

GALLERY OF DREAMS: Gallery of Dreams envisions a community where contemporary artists and an engaged public enhance their creative capacity through relevant, diverse, and accessible experiences and conversations. Gallery of Dreams strives to improve the quality of life and strengthen the viability of the North Texas artist community as a whole.
 

Application Requirements

Works must be 2-D or 3-D. All works must be original and completed within the last year. All works must be available to showcase and available for purchase through the entire run of the show. Do not submit works for  the jury that might be sold before or shown elsewhere during the MATTIE PARKER ART 2026 show time frame.  

Eligibility Criteria

MATTIE PARKER HIGH SCHOOL ART is open to all high school students in Fort Worth, TX, and surrounding areas within a 30-mile radius.