Art Kit Challenge 2025

Step into a child’s world of possibility: create something extraordinary with the same simple tools we give kids to spark their imagination.

The Art Kit Challenge is a curated exhibition and online auction benefiting Give Kids Art. Selected artists will receive our signature Art Kits in the mail, filled with the same materials we share with thousands of underserved kids. Your mission is to craft an original artwork inspired by our creative prompt, using only what’s inside the Art Kit (and, if you’d like, a few common household items, like tin foil or salt). You’ll have six weeks to complete your piece.

This fall, your artwork will be showcased in our online gallery and 10-day auction, where every bid helps bring joy, self-expression, and creativity to kids who need it most. Artists are responsible for shipping their finished works to the winning bidders. Have more questions? See our FAQs below.

Spots are limited — come play, create fearlessly, and make a difference!

TIMELINE

Please read carefully before applying!

  • July 28th — Artist Applications Due

  • August 1st — Artists Notified

  • August 6th - 15th — Art Kits Delivered to Selected Artists

  • September 21st — ALL ARTWORKS COMPLETED (Note: you will keep your artwork, but on this date, all images of final artworks are due to Give Kids Art for preparing the auction site).

  • October 9th - 19th — Online Auction Live

Apply HEre:

 

Frequently ASked Questions:

  • Anyone! This is a completely open call for submission. At Give Kids Art, everyone is an artist — you do not need to be an artist by profession to participate in our challenge.

  • When your artwork is done, we will ask that you send high quality photos of it to us, so we can place it for bid in our online auction! Then, you’ll hold onto it until the 10-day auction concludes. If your piece is purchased, you will be responsible for shipping the artwork to the buyer. Give Kids Art will handle the coordination between you!

  • No problem! We would be honored to hold onto it for you to use for future auctions or Give Kids Art showcases. If this is the case, at the end of the auction, you will ship your artwork to us (Give Kids Art) in Santa Monica, CA!

  • If you are selected to participate and receive an Art Kit but are not able to complete your artwork for some reason, we kindly ask that you make a donation of $35 to Give Kids Art to cover the supplies we sent to you plus the shipping expense.

    Please look closely at the timeline to ensure that you are able to participate in the full process before applying.

  • The Art Kits will be almost identical to those we distribute to children in underserved communities across the U.S. with a few small tweaks to better suit the artists for this challenge.

    The Art Kits will include the following:

    • white mixed media paper

    • black construction paper

    • white paint pens

    • 8.5 × 11 canvas board

    • white cardboard craft panels

    • crayons

    • watercolor set

    • paint brushes

    • oil pastels

    • markers

    • colored pencils

    • kids scissors

    • pipe cleaners

    • black pens

    • 6 packs of white model magic

    • no. 2 pencils

    • mini blank notebooks

    • permanent markers

    • glitter glue 

    • Elmer's glue sticks

    • this year’s prompt!

  • Artists will be selected based on alignment with Give Kids Art’s mission and the spirit of this year’s theme. We aim to include a diverse, thoughtful group of creators whose work reflects the power of imagination, hope, and self-expression.

  • Selected artists will receive this year’s prompt in their Art Kits!