Submit to the 2026 Bow Seat Ocean Awareness contest
Submissions for the 2026 Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest are officially open to students ages 11-18 around the world. Hosted by Bow Seat: Creative Action in Conservation, the Contest invites young people to use creativity as a lens to explore the ocean and the environment. Every year, thousands of students take part, adding their voices to a growing global conversation about why the ocean matters.
The 2026 theme, “Your Story, Our Ocean: How Our Ocean Sustains, Protects, and Inspires Us” asks students to reflect on what the ocean means to them personally. It encourages an exploration of how the ocean shapes identities, communities, memories, and the future. Every entry becomes a story about the connection between people and the natural world, and how caring for the ocean can lead to a healthier tomorrow.
Students can submit their work in any creative format: visual art, writing, poetry, film, music, performance, or interactive media. Entries can be individual or collaborative, as long as all participants are between 11 and 18 years old.
Submissions will fall into either of the two age brackets — Junior Division (ages 11-14) and Senior Division (ages 15-18), giving students the freedom to choose the medium that most powerfully expresses their ideas.
The subthemes for this year are as follows:
Sustains
The ocean nourishes humanity through food, water, livelihoods, cultural traditions, and even the oxygen we breathe. It offers comfort, joy, and a sense of belonging that shapes everyday life in countless visible and invisible ways. This subtheme encourages students to explore the emotional, cultural, and physical resources the ocean provides, and to reflect on why sustaining it matters for generations to come.
Protects
The ocean regulates the global climate and shields coastal communities. Mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands, and other ecosystems reduce storm impacts, prevent flooding, and support rich biodiversity. As climate change accelerates, these protective systems are increasingly at risk. This subtheme invites students to examine how the ocean protects humanity, and how human responsibility and care can help safeguard its protective power.
Inspires
Across cultures and throughout history, the ocean has shaped music, stories, design, belief systems, scientific breakthroughs, and artistic imagination. It continues to fuel innovation and creativity. Students drawn to this subtheme can explore why the ocean inspires them or their community, how creativity can strengthen environmental awareness, and what might be lost if the ocean continues to suffer harm.
The Ocean Awareness Contest celebrates personal experience and emotional connection above technical expertise. Students don’t need to be scientists or environmental experts — every entry begins with a story, and every story expands our collective understanding of the relationship between people and the ocean. Whether someone has grown up by the coast or has never seen the ocean in person, the Contest encourages reflection on the many ways the ocean influences life.
Participants are eligible for scholarships of up to 1,000 USD. Winning submissions will also be showcased across Bow Seat’s global platforms, including exhibitions, digital media, youth networks, and publications giving young artists access to international audiences and opportunities to connect with peers, environmental leaders, scientists, and creative professionals.
Students who wish to take part can visit bowseat.org/contest to explore the full theme description, review submission guidelines, browse past winners, and access learning resources designed to spark ideas and deepen ecological understanding. After reviewing the instructions, entries can be created and submitted through the website’s online portal before June 8, 2026
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