Blooming Life Art Competition 2026
A magical adventure of creativity. Let your imagination flourish.
About the Theme
“Blooming Life” invites you to a magical adventure of creativity! Embrace growth and change through drawing, painting, digital art or other forms of visual art. Explore vibrant spring colours, personal transformation, or evolving landscapes. It’s not just about flowers – express your view of the world and let your creativity blossom!
Age Groups & Entry Fees
| Category | Entry Fee |
| Grades 5 – 8 | R30 |
| Grades 9 – 12 | R50 |
Key Dates
| Milestone | Date |
| Opening Day | 1 September 2026 |
| Closing Day | 31 October 2026 |
| Judging Date | 6 November 2026 |
Accepted Mediums & Size
All mediums are welcome – watercolour, charcoal, pencil, colour pencils, oil paint, acrylic, oil pastels, pastels, mixed media, and more. Digital art is embraced and encouraged.
Size & format:
- Traditional art: A3 or larger; photograph clearly and submit as a high-quality PDF.
- Digital art: The artwork must be created by the participant and submitted as a high-resolution PNG or TIFF file.
- No physical artwork needs to be delivered.
Rules & Terms
- The artwork must be the participant’s own original work.
- Plagiarism, copying another artist’s work, or submitting AI-generated artwork as one’s own is not permitted.
- No physical artwork needs to be delivered.
- Entries must be photographed straight-on in good lighting – no glare, shadows, frames or distracting backgrounds; the entire artwork must be clearly visible.
- Entries may be disqualified if the image is of insufficient quality to judge fairly or does not comply with the rules.
- The completed entry form, proof of payment and correctly formatted artwork file must be received by 31 October 2026.
- Late or incomplete entries may not be accepted.
- Entry fees are non-refundable once a valid entry has been received, except where required by law.
Suggested file name:
Traditional artwork: ParticipantName_Surname_ArtworkTitle.pdf
Digital artwork: ParticipantName_Surname_ArtworkTitle.png or .tiff
A winner and runner-up in each age category will receive a specially selected art materials prize package to encourage and support their creative journey.
Prizes proudly sponsored by Bud & Blossom Creatives, with a contribution from Artboard.
How to Enter & Payment Details
| Detail | Value |
| Bank name | Standard Bank |
| Branch code | 3042 |
| Account holder | Bud and Blossom Creatives PTY |
| Account number | 28 115 075 3 |
| Account type | Current |
Reminder: proof of payment must be uploaded with the entry. Entry fees are non-refundable once a valid entry is received.
Judging criteria
Entries will be judged according to:
- Interpretation of the “Blooming Life” theme
- Originality and creativity
- Technical skill appropriate to the participant’s age
- Composition and visual impact
- Overall presentation
Winners and runners-up will be contacted using the parent or guardian details supplied on the entry form. Judging will take place on 6 November 2026, and the results will be announced on the Bud & Blossom Creatives website and social media platforms.