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 nation to create artwork about the theme Beautiful Wind Energy.

Four winners from each grade (K-8) will receive a $200 KidWind store voucher and the chance to show their work at the annual CLEANPOWER 2025 conference in Phoenix, Arizona May 19-21, 2025 alongside the World KidWind Challenge.

All work must be submitted through the online form below by 12pm CST February 28, 2025. Early submissions are encouraged and a selection may be temporarily displayed on this webpage.

Details

  • This free art contest is for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade.
  • 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 is accepted.
  • Registration and artwork must be submitted before 12pm CST February 28th, 2025, using the form linked below.
  • Winners will be announced on April 1st.
  • Only one submission per student.
  • Original hand-made artwork only. No adult assistance in the creation of the artwork is allowed.
  • No digitally created artwork will be accepted.
  • Drawing and painting in any media is accepted (pencil, crayon, markers, watercolor, acrylic, etc).
  • Use of drawing and painting mediums together is accepted.
  • Collage with fabric, foil, etc is accepted. 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 are open from November 1, 2024 – February 28, 2025
  • Artwork must be submitted before 12pm CST on February 28, 2025, using the submission form linked below
  • Winners will be announced April 1st 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. Each winner will receive a $200 KidWind store voucher and a certificate from KidWind.

Winning artwork will be framed within a plaque that lists the accomplishment.

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.

Winners will have their artwork on temporary display at the CLEANPOWER conference in Phoenix, Arizona May 19–21, 2025 within the World KidWind Challenge space. Over 8,000 industry leaders from around the globe will be attending the conference and see the artwork.

At the conclusion of the CLEANPOWER conference, winner’s 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 Contest webpage.

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 WindArtContest@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 contest was created to spark the interest of students into thinking more about wind and how it impacts life on Earth.

Submit Your Artwork

Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, jpeg, Max. file size: 5 MB.