MANCHESTER, NH – Student artists from across New Hampshire gathered February 8 at Stockbridge Theater on the campus of Pinkerton Academy for the 2026 Scholastic Art Awards ceremony to honor their hard work and wins!
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards were founded in 1923 and have been awarding talented artists and writers ever since! Over its history many famous writers, artists, and figures have won this distinction, including Andy Warhol, Stephen King, and Frances Farmer.
Regional Awards consist of Honorable Mentions, Silver Keys, and Gold Keys. Honorable Mentions include accomplished and skilled work in the top 18%, Silver Keys include exceptional and standout work in the top 13%, and Gold Keys are the highest honor with work in the top 8%. Gold Keys winners move on to represent their state at the national level, so good luck to this year’s Gold Key winners!
Winning art is chosen based on judging criteria centered around originality, technical skill, and the emergence of personal style or vision. It’s important that work is original whether that’s through a concept the art represents or the materials used to create the piece. The art should also show the artist’s technical skill. Did they take risks? Did they master the medium they used? Is the appearance of the piece and the message it conveys best represented with the application of the materials used?
The art should also, of course, have meaning behind it and show the viewer the artist’s unique voice and style. What does the art tell the viewer about the artist? How does it give them a window into the artist’s mind and how they see the world? Art doesn’t need to take a stance politically or comment on something happening in the world, but it should evoke feelings like despair, anticipation, or excitement and joy.
Scholastic Awards – two ceremonies
There were two Scholastic awards ceremonies at The Stockbridge; one for grades 7-10 in the morning and another for grades 11-12 in the afternoon. The ceremony was great, beginning with an introduction to the Board of Directors and a brief history about the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Winners were also told about an opportunity for a scholarship to the 2026 Pre-College Summer Program at the Institute of Art and Design at New England College. Students have the opportunity to learn more about building their portfolios, improving their skills, using new mediums, and working with professional artists! They will also explore topics like fine arts, graphic design, illustration, comics, photography, printmaking, 3D media, and more.
Kate Pritchard, Director of Art Education at the Currier Museum of Art, also came on stage to congratulate all of the students. She announced that the Currier will have an exhibition featuring student art! This is an amazing opportunity, especially since students will see their pieces displayed in a museum. After the presentations, students were called on stage in each of the award categories to take a bow. Gold Key winners also said what school they were from, their grade, and what type of art they won their award(s) for. Fifty students in Manchester won Scholastic Art Awards, with 15 from Central High School!
After the awards ceremony families, friends, and teachers flooded the Stockbridge lobby. Illustrations, drawings, photographs, and paintings decorated the walls and students rushed to their pieces, showing them off to loved ones. The atmosphere was joyful and it was evident students were proud of their successes! It was amazing seeing all of the work in one place, and everyone could see all of the hard work and dedication the pieces took.
On Monday, February 9, Scholastic Art Award winners were also recognized for their hard work and wins at City Hall! Students were presented with a certificate from the Manchester School District congratulating them, and they all gathered for a group photo. All of the artists and their work definitely deserved these awards, so a huge round of applause to all students who won a Scholastic Art Award!