ARTEFFECT Competition
Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes · Direct application
Eligibility
About this scholarship
ARTEFFECT is the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes' annual visual arts competition for students in grades 6-12. Entrants create an original artwork in any visual medium interpreting the story of an approved Unsung Hero from the center's directory, and write an accompanying Impact Statement of 500-1,000 words.
The competition is free to enter and open to students working with a teacher or independently; group projects are not eligible. Entries are submitted online via Submittable with images of the finished work, the statement, and parent or guardian permission.
Prizes total over $35,000 annually: a $6,000 Grand Prize, Best in Show awards of $3,000 (high school) and $2,000 (middle school), $1,000 Spotlight Prizes, and $750 Certificates of Excellence. Submissions open October 1 and closed April 21 for the 2026 cycle.