3rd Annual Little Flower Art Contest

Celebrating Young Artists, Faith & the Beauty of Sacred Art

Have your art displayed in a professional gallery!
Compete with talented artists from other schools!
Earn money for yourself and your school!

The Sacred Art Gallery is proud to present the 3rd Annual Little Flower Art Contest, an opportunity for high school students to share their artistic talents, explore the beauty of sacred art, and have their work displayed in a professional gallery setting.

This year’s theme is:

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

Students are invited to reflect on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and express their understanding of His love, mercy, sacrifice, and invitation to draw closer to Him through their artwork.

About the Contest

Purpose

The Little Flower Art Contest exists to foster a love for beauty, promote the fine arts through the talents of young adults, and plant seeds of faith in the hearts of those who encounter sacred art.

Who Can Participate?

All students at participating schools are encouraged to submit an original artwork inspired by this year’s theme, The Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Each participating school will have a three-person jury, consisting of the school’s primary contest representative and two additional faculty volunteers. The school jury will select four pieces to represent the school at The Sacred Art Gallery in Mesa.

The selected works will be displayed in the gallery for a week and will be available for purchase.

Important: Acknowledging Previous Works

Students are welcome to draw inspiration from existing sacred artwork. However, any artwork substantially based on or created in the style of a preexisting work must be properly acknowledged.

For example:

Title: Sacred Heart of Jesus (After Charles Chambers)
Artist: Sally Brown
School: Xavier College Preparatory

Failure to acknowledge a preexisting work may result in disqualification.

Students looking for inspiration are encouraged to explore finalist submissions from The Sacred Art Prize Competition from previous years.

What Can I Create?

Students may submit artwork using any of the following mediums:

• Oil
• Acrylic
• Pastel
• Watercolor
• Pencil
• Charcoal
• Mixed Media

Size: 16″ × 12″ or smaller, not including the frame

Artwork may be:

• Landscape or portrait
• Square or another shape
• Framed and/or matted

All artwork must be ready to hang.

How Will Artwork Be Judged?

The school juries will consider three primary criteria:

1. Technical Merit
Skill in handling the chosen medium, including control, craftsmanship, and execution. Full-scale tracing of existing artwork is prohibited and may result in disqualification.

2. Theme Interpretation & Creativity
The student’s ability to remain true to the theme while presenting the subject in an imaginative and creative way.

3. Emotional Impact
The ability of the artwork to communicate meaning and evoke a thoughtful or emotional response from the viewer.

Display & Sale of Artwork

The four pieces selected by each participating school will be exhibited at The Sacred Art Gallery in Mesa during the contest exhibition.

Selected student artwork will also have the opportunity to be offered for sale for $120.

For each piece sold:

$70 goes directly to the student
$50 goes to the student’s school

This gives students an opportunity not only to have their artwork seen in a professional gallery, but also to earn money from their creative work while supporting their school.

Awards

Awards will be presented to the four best pieces selected from the exhibition by the gallery jury.

In addition, certificates will be presented to all finalists whose artwork is displayed at The Sacred Art Gallery.

Supporting Catholic Schools

During Catholic Schools Week, certain purchases made at The Sacred Art Gallery will result in 15% being donated back to a participating school of the purchaser’s choice.

This provides another opportunity for families and members of the community to support Catholic education while supporting sacred art.

Important Dates

September 2026

Contest Announced

Flyers will be posted at participating schools and information about the contest will be shared with the community. Students may begin planning and creating their artwork.

December 16, 2026

Student Submissions Due

Artwork must be submitted to the designated contest representative at each participating school. This may be an art teacher, campus minister, or another appointed school representative.

January 15, 2027

Finalists Delivered to The Sacred Art Gallery

A faculty representative from each participating school will bring the four pieces selected by the school’s jury to The Sacred Art Gallery in Mesa.

January 25–30, 2027

Little Flower Art Contest Exhibition

All selected finalist pieces will be displayed at The Sacred Art Gallery and available for purchase throughout the exhibition.

January 30, 2027 | 4:00–5:00 PM

Reception & Award Ceremony

Join us at The Sacred Art Gallery for a special reception celebrating the participating students, their families, teachers, and schools.

The four award-winning pieces will be announced, and awards and certificates will be presented by the gallery jury.

All members of the community are welcome. Teachers, families, and participating students are especially encouraged to attend.

Artwork may be purchased before the reception, but purchased pieces will remain on display through the conclusion of the January 30 event.

Join Us in Celebrating Young Artists

The Little Flower Art Contest is more than a competition. It is an opportunity for young artists to develop their talents, encounter the beauty of sacred art, and share that beauty with their schools and community.

We invite students to take up the challenge, explore the mystery and beauty of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and create something beautiful for others to encounter.

For questions or more information:

The Sacred Art Gallery
(480) 946-1003
ask@thesacredartgallery.com