What is the

Hartford Creative Contest?

Hartford Creative Contest is an annual competition for 4th to 12th graders in Hartford (either living here or attending school here). It was started as an opportunity for our many talented young people to showcase their skills and share their thoughts and dreams with the wider community.
The Contest has grown and expanded over the years. While originally the Contest focused exclusively on Essays, now Poems and Art are also accepted.

Each year the Board decides upon a variety of prompts which students then use to spark their imagination and relate to their own knowledge and experiences. Submissions are judged primarily on their creativity and originality, although points are also assessed for the work's relationship to the chosen prompt, authenticity, poetic technique (for poems), grammar, structure and form (essays), expression and impact.

Students compete for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards in each category - art, essays and poetry - in their age group: 4th to 6th grade, 7th to 9th grade, and 10th to 12th grade. There are lots of prizes and the GRAND PRIZE is $750

Each winner will have the opportunity to share their work at the Awards Ceremony in May, 2026 and will be published the annual Anthology. A copy of the book is given to each winner and are also available for purchase by others.

2025–2026 Contest prompts

Choose any one of the following prompts that speaks to you.
Curiosity
Gratitude
Compassion
Sadness
Integrity

How Do You Deal With A Friend With Different Values Than Yours?

What Might Happen If You Tell A Lie?

Awards

Deadline is March 9, 2026 at midnight p.m.
All you need is your imagination! Grab your pencil or paint, choose a prompt, and get started.
For further assistance, you may email us:

submissions@hartfordcontest.org
Or Call us at 860-236-1111
Or Speak to your Teacher.

FAQS

To enter the Hartford Creative Contest you must be a Hartford resident in grades 4–12 or you must be a non-Hartford resident attending a Hartford school.

  • Curiosity
  • Gratitude
  • Compassion
  • Sadness
  • Integrity
  • How do you deal with a friend with different values than yours?
  • What might happen if you tell a lie?

Essays, Poems, & Visual Art.

  1. Be a Hartford resident or attend a Hartford school.
  2. Be a student in grades 4–12.
  3. Create an original essay, poem, or piece of artwork responding to one of this year’s prompts.
  4. Proofread and make sure your work is the best it can be.
  5. Submit electronically through this website.

Note: If your entry is visual art, you will be provided with a location to bring your original art after you submit a copy electronically.

Questions? Call 860-236-1111.

Deadline: March 9, 2026.

The winners are announced in May 2026 after receipt of all entries.

The 1st place grand prize is $750. There are also prizes for the top 3 winning submissions in each category for every age group.

Once you have finished your essay, poem, or original artwork, you may upload it to this website, answer the questions, and hit SEND.

How We Choose the Winners

Our judges celebrate imagination and effort

Our Judges Celebrate Imagination, Creativity and Authentic Voice

A group of art and education professionals carefully review and consider every entry, and use an objective rubric to assign points. The judges look for each child's voice, and how that voice is expressed through their words and art. Every submission tells a beautiful, unique story and the judges are continually impressed with the quality and creativity of the submissions to this Contest.

Guidelines

Accepted submissions can be in the form of an essay, poem, or artwork. All entries must relate directly to one of the above topics and follow these guidelines:

Essays
Must be TYPED on standard 8.5 X 11” paper.
Must be a minimum of 400 words and must not exceed 1,200 words

Poetry
Must be TYPED on standard 8.5 X 11” paper.
Must not exceed 2 pages.

Visual Art
Must be on paper or canvas no larger than 18 X 24”.

ALL ARTWORK must be accompanied by a short paragraph relating to the topic chosen.

ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE ENTRANT’S ORIGINAL WORK, NOT PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED

Judging & Awards

All work will be evaluated based on content, creativity and originality.

Deadline March 9, 2026

Entries in each category of essays, poetry and artwork will be divided into 3 grade-based sub-categories:

• 4th–6th
• 7th–9th
• 10th–12th

There will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards given in each category.

Award Ceremony


May 22, 2026



All Winners, along with 2 of guests, will be invited to participate in the Awards Ceremony where they may share their work and accept their prize.