Nature Quest Arts Contest
Calling all youth ARTIST!
Prince George's County residents 18 years old and under. You are cordially invited to enter this year’s Nature Quest Art Contest. Explore your backyard, a local park, or other outdoor environments. Tell your nature story by drawing, painting, photography, mixed media, or poetry.
DEADLINE for Submission: Sunday, November 2, 2025 at 11:59 pm.
Finalists must bring their art to 7833 Walker Drive #200 Greenbelt, MD any day/time between December 8 - 15, 2025 between 9am - 4pm and also pick up their artwork from Harmony Hall on Saturday, January 24 between 9am-4pm.
Eligibility Requirements:
- This contest is open to Prince George's County residents that are 18 years old and under. No purchase is necessary.
· Entries must be inspired by nature.
- Content of the work must be original. Use of another artist’s work is not eligible.
- You may enter as many categories as you want!
Awards
For the drawing/painting, photography, and poetry categories 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be chosen from each age group. 1st place is awarded $300, 2nd place is awarded $200, and 3rd place is awarded $100
*Drawings & Paintings are all in the same category.
Elementary School: K - Grade 5
Middle School: Grades 6 – 8
High School: Grades 9 - 12
Important Dates & Deadlines:
Submissions Open: Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Submission Deadline: Sunday, November 2, 2025 (received by 11:59 pm EST)
Judging Panel Adjudications: November 3 - 30, 2025
Finalist & Winners Notified By: December 1 – 5, 2025
Opening Reception: Friday, January 9, 2026 from 6:30-8:30pm at Harmony Hall Regional Center
Exhibition Dates: January 9 – 21, 2025
Questions?
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Shaiday Dancy (Shaiday.dancy@pgparks.com)
The 2026 Nature Quest Art Contest is a program of The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission, Department of Parks & Recreation, Prince George’s County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division.
Black History Program/Visual Arts Summer Internship 2025
OBJECTIVE
Artist interns, ages 14-19, will create original artwork, from idea and design development through production and the final product. Interns will receive 64 total hours of instruction and compensation of up to $500.
Students will also learn about African American history on both the local and national levels through a variety of in-person and virtual lessons and experiences, including lectures, workshops, and films. Emphasis will also be given to the visual art component for the poster through similar in person art museum field trips, workshops and guest speakers.
The final art image will be scanned and photographed for M-NCPPC to produce the large-scale print run of posters for free distribution to the public.
QUALIFICATIONS
This summer internship is open to all young artists, ages 14 through 19, that attend High School in Prince George's County, Maryland and/or reside in the County. Rising ninth graders are eligible and invited to apply.
Prospective interns should have a passion for African American History and the visual arts. This internship is open to all qualifying participants of any ethnicity or background
Participating interns will be led by a professional teaching artist in the collaborative design of the M-NCPPC 2025 Black History Month Poster. All supplies necessary for the project will be provided by the program.
INTERNSHIP DETAILS
The internship will start on Monday, July 14, and take place at Harmony Hall Arts Center in Fort Washington, MD 20774. Internship days will be Mondays through Thursdays, 10 am-3 pm each day. The last day of the internship will be Thursday, August 14.
Program participants will each receive monetary compensation of up to $500.00, based on attendance and successful completion of the internship.
Cell phone use will be limited during the time of the internship sessions due to the professional demands of the art-making processes with which the intern artists will be engaged. In addition, they will be asked not to share any details about the art design ideas for the poster’s development. The poster will be formally unveiled to the public in February 2026 at the start of the Black History Month celebration.
SUBMISSION CRITERIA
Applicant artists must submit three examples of their artwork as well as a paragraph or two about themselves, their passion for art, African American History and their interest in participating in the summer internship. Go to https://m-ncppc.submittable.com/submit to register for a free account and submit the application for the 2025 Black History Month Program/Visual Arts Summer Internship.
EVALUATION
The program will be offered to a maximum of 5 participants. Chosen intern artists will be notified by Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Selections will be made both by representatives of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Division and the Black History Program of the M-NCPPC.
Artist applicants who are under 16 years of age will need to apply for a work permit online through the State of Maryland if selected to participate in the program.
TIMELINE
Sunday, July 6, 2025: Deadline to apply to the internship, application on Submittable online by 12 midnight.
Wednesday, July 9, 2025: Selected interns are notified.
Monday, July 14, 2025: Internship commences at Harmony Hall Arts Center, 10701 Livingston Rd, Fort Washington, MD 20744
Thursday, August 14, 2025: Internship concludes
Sunday, February 1, 2026: Black History Month Poster unveiled to the public.
February 2026: Distribution of posters to community
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If there are any questions, please contact Stuart Diekmeyer, Facility Director, Harmony Hall Arts Center, at stuart.diekmeyer@pgparks.com. By submitting to this call for entry, applicants to the internship agree to comply with all rules and requirements of the program.