Art & Poetry Challenge
Since its launch in 2017 with “Culture Keepers,” the Racial Unity Team’s annual Art & Poetry
Challenge has become a creative call to action—inviting voices from
across New Hampshire to reflect, connect, and imagine a more inclusive
future. Each year’s theme has challenged artists and poets of all ages to
explore what it means to live in community, to see one another fully, and to
honor both the differences and the common threads that unite us.
Today the Challenge continues to build bridges across
generations, cultures, and experiences. Over time, the themes have
evolved from celebrating heritage and identity to exploring empathy, justice,
belonging, and collective growth. This progression mirrors the journey of
our organization and our communities—deepening from awareness to
action, and from connection to transformation.
Eligibility and Rules
The Challenge is open to all residents of New Hampshire. Students living out of state but attending NH schools are eligible. Submissions are welcome in the following five categories:
- Elementary School (Grades K-2)
- Elementary School (Grades 3-5)
- Middle School (Grades 6-8)
- High School (Grades 9-12)
- Adult
Each participant may submit only one poem or one artwork for review.
Collaborative submissions (‘Group Submissions’) are allowed for both poetry and visual art and are open to all age categories. They will be judged in the appropriate age category.
Poems may be no more than two pages and are limited to 50 lines. Poems should be submitted in Times New Roman font, size 12; line spacing 1.5. Prose is also accepted in the poetry category and 500 words or less.
*Please make sure your written word is sent in as you want it to read. Note: font will change for the framing of the submission for the exhibit. If there is a specific font you would like your piece to be in for the final form, please indicate this when you send in your work.
Visual artwork should be unframed and may not exceed 16x20 inches.
We encourage the use of various art mediums to create comics, graphic art, and cartoons as well as photographs, drawings, paintings, sculptures, and other 3-D submissions. Please note, 3-D submissions may be no larger than 12x12x12 and weigh no more than 10 pounds.
Paintings and drawings must fit within the following standard frame sizes:
4 x 6”
5”x7”
8” x 10”
8.5’ x 11”
12" x 12"
11” x 14”
16” x 20”
Students may enter a collaborative project that includes a poster-sized submission up to 36x48 inches.
