National
Wind Energy
Art Challenge

KidWind, with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office, calls upon students in Kindergarten through 8th grade from around the US to create artwork about the theme Beautiful Wind Energy.

KidWind with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office calls upon students in Kindergarten through 8th grade from around the nation to create artwork about the theme Beautiful Wind Energy.

Four entries from each grade (K-8) will be selected to have their work on display at the annual CLEANPOWER 2025 conference in Phoenix, Arizona May 19-22, 2025 alongside the World KidWind Challenge. These selected entries will also receive a plaque and their artwork will be framed.

All artwork must be submitted through the online form below by 12pm CST February 28, 2025. Early submissions are encouraged and may be temporarily displayed on this webpage. Notifications of selection will be announced April 1st.

This is the second year for the National Wind Energy Art Contest! We were so impressed with the quality of submissions last year, that we doubled the number of Winners and Honorable Mention selections!

Guidelines

  • Participation is free!
  • Only K-8th grade students may participate
  • Only one submission per student
  • Artwork must speak to the theme of Beautiful Wind Energy
  • Artwork must be created on 8.5”x11” or 11”x17” size paper(horizontal or vertical orientation are acceptable)
  • Original hand-made artwork only. No digitally created artwork.
  • No adult assistance in the creation of the artwork allowed
  • Drawing and painting in any media is accepted (pencil, crayon, markers, watercolor, acrylic, etc).
  • Use of drawing and painting mediums together is acceptable
  • Collage with fabric, foil, etc is acceptable. Pre-made illustrations not from the artist, cannot be used. Artwork texture or collage layers cannot exceed ¼” in height.
  • A teacher, coach, parent or guardian must fill out the form linked below and provide contact information. The adult can submit applications for an unlimited number of students.

Key Dates

  • Submissions Open: November 1, 2024 – February 28, 2025
  • Submission Deadline: Before 12pm CST on February 28, 2025, using the submission form linked below
  • Winners Announced: April 1, 2025

Selection Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated by grade level and according to the following criteria:

Quality of Submitted Image (10 points)

Is the photo submitted of the artwork straight, no glares, no warp, no shadow, no filters, in focus, background cropped so only the artwork is showing? Do not digitally alter the image.

Theme (30 points)

Does it follow the theme Beautiful Wind Energy? Does it display wind energy in a way that looks beautiful?

Knowledge & Understanding (30 points)

Does the artwork display the basics of wind energy?

Creativity (30 points)

Is the artwork well done? Does it have nice color, lines, composition, and content? Does the artwork evoke emotion?

Awards and Recognition

Each grade (K-8) will have four winners, for a total of 32.

Winners will receive:

  • Artwork submission framed and a plaque commemorating their accomplishment.
  • Artwork temporarily displayed at the World KidWind Challenge May 19-21, 2025 hosted by the CLEANPOWER conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Over 8,000 industry leaders from around the globe will be attending the conference and see the artwork. At the conclusion of the event, winner’s framed artwork & plaques will be sent back to the artist.

80 Honorable Mentions will be chosen. Each honorable mention will receive a certificate and have the artwork temporarily displayed on the KidWind Wind Energy Art Challenge webpage.

Winners will be decided by a selection panel consisting of staff from KidWind, U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Resources and Inspiration to Get You Started

U.S. Department of Energy Energy 101: Wind Power
A short video highlighting the basic principles of wind turbines, and how the various components work to capture and convert wind energy to electricity.
Wind Energy Technology Office Wind Energy Basics
A webpage about the basics of wind energy with helpful links for further research.

KidWind WindWise Intro to Wind Energy

An introduction to wind power as a resource for energy production, wind turbines, and impacts.
KidWind WindWise Education Lesson 8: How Does a Windmill Work?
A hands-on activity based lesson on making a homemade windmill that explains how windmills work.
Climate Change Artist Nicole Kelner
Watercolor and drawing artist Nicole Kelner creates educational art to inspire climate action. Her work includes a coloring book and drawings of wind power.
Artists and Climate Change Wind Turbines as Artistic Canvas
An article about artists painting wind turbines like giant murals.
Artists and Climate Change A Brief History of Wind Energy
n article about how wind has been used by humans and images of artist’s work.

Creative Suggestions

Here are some creative suggestions to help you think about Beautiful Wind Energy:

  • Wind energy can be illustrated by a wind turbine or windmill. Think of the time of day, the location. Are there more than one?
  • Consider a drawing of the inner workings of wind turbines or windmills, or how you imagine it works.
  • Imagine what something invisible, like wind, looks like
  • Consider drawing a wind turbine in a pattern or in a way that is abstract.
  • Wind energy can be shown as your curtains blowing in an open window, your hand moving outside a car window, pollen or seeds on the wind, or a sailboat.
  • Wind energy can be a character or a spirit. Please don’t use pop-culture characters.

Questions?

Please email WindArtChallenge@kidwind.org. 

The KidWind Project with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office supports this wind energy art competition for kindergarten through 8th grade schools in the United States. Wind Energy is a quickly growing industry in the United States. Both land-based wind and offshore wind will be part of many Americans’ community and energy systems within the next decade. This art challenge was created to spark the interest of students into thinking more about wind and how it impacts life on Earth.