Dear Principals, Art Coordinators/Teachers, Parents and Students,

It is with great excitement that we invite you to be part of the 13th Art for Change - International Child Art Challenge & Exhibition 2026-27, organized by Discovering New Artists supported by Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Bluebird Arts and Tezz Foods. Over the years, Art for Change has grown into one of the largest art initiatives in Pakistan and worldwide, inspiring young minds to use art as a force for social good.

Through our one-for-one model, we ensure that every child, regardless of economic background, has the opportunity to create, express, and shine. Together, we have impacted the lives of more than 170,000 young artists from over 25 countries, empowering 38,000+ students from marginalized communities through art education, exposure, and opportunities. This year, we are thrilled to present two thought-provoking and socially impactful themes, inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aligned with SDG-3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG-6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG-13: Climate Action, SDG-14: Life Below Water.

Themes:

1. My Roots, My Identity
2. Our Water, Our Responsibility

By participating, your students not only gain recognition and awards - including cash prizes, certificates, trophies, and honorariums for teachers - but also join a movement that promotes education, cultural preservation, and equality at a global scale. Selected artworks will be featured in national and international exhibitions.

We aim to provide equal opportunities for students from all backgrounds, and your maximum participation is key to bridging the gap between privileged and underprivileged communities. By submitting a maximum number of artworks, you help us showcase the incredible talent of your students on an international stage.

We look forward to receiving your students' remarkable creations for this year's Art for Change.

Yours Sincerely,
Hassan Mujtaba Zaidi
Executive Director

My Roots, My Identity: Ages 4-15
Every child carries a story, and each story is shaped by language, traditions, food, music, and the communities they call home. We encourage participants to explore cultures, traditions, histories and celebrate what makes their identity unique through art. By sharing our roots, we learn from each other and build a more connected, inclusive future because at DNA we believe diversity is our greatest strength.

Our Water, Our Responsibility: Ages 4-15
Water is essential to life. It nourishes people, wildlife, and ecosystems, yet growing challenges such as pollution, climate change, and water scarcity threaten this precious resource. Through Our Water, Our Responsibility, DNA invites young people to explore the importance of water conservation through art and water's role in their lives and the everyday actions that protect it from clean rivers to reducing waste. DNA believes creativity can inspire real change, encouraging young artists to become stewards of the planet, one small action at a time.

Children and young people can participate in Art for Change Pakistan under the following 7 categories.

Category-I: 4 - 7 Years
Category-II: 8 - 11 Years
Category-III: 12 - 15 Years

• Age Limit: The eligibility of participants ranges from 4 – 15 years of age.
• Number of Entries: Participants may submit up to a maximum of 2 art entries with each entry having a separate submission fee.
• Size of Artwork: Only A3 size (12” inches x 16.5” inches) sheets should be used for all types of artworks. Any other size will automatically be disqualified.
• Medium: The work may be drawn or painted in pencil, pen, charcoal, crayon, pastel, watercolour, gouache, acrylics, oils, poster colour and collage. We are looking for hand-drawn colourful artworks - they should not use digital tools to create their artworks. For display purposes, colourful entries are preferred. Only 2D artworks will be accepted.
• Submission Forms: Works of art must be labelled using the artwork submission form which should be filled in fully and neatly (available on our website). Please do not write on the front of the artwork. Any artwork having a name on the front will be disqualified.
• Judging: The entries will be judged by a panel of senior jury artists. The entries will be judged on the basis of originality, creativity and imagination, relevance to the theme, and visual impact.
• The Artwork Submission Form is important if your work is selected and we request you to mail us.
• Discovering New Artists reserves copyrights on all submitted pieces. No artworks & entry fee will be returned or refundable.
• All works will become the property of the Discovering New Artists which may use, sell, or exhibit them for promotion and within its own programs and activities.
• Uploading & Mailing Art Entries: All entries should be uploaded on the online registration page against the names of the students (discoveringnewartists.org/afc_isrf/). If the entries are selected for exhibition, DNA will request you to courier those selected entries at the given address by the deadline to be included in the exhibitions.
• Discovering New Artists is not responsible if some works do not reach them.
• Announcement: The results will be announced on our website and Facebook page. All the selected school entries will be notified through their school emails. Only individual entries will be notified on their emails. Non-selected entrants will not be notified of the results.
• Prizes & Certificates: e-certificates will be sent to the school’s official email address which can then be emailed to all the participants. Individual participants will receive the e-certificates on their emails. All the cash prizes and honorariums will be paid through PayPal accounts. All school teachers/administration must have official bank accounts in order to receive the honorariums. Moreover, the winners will be awarded their prizes through their parents’/guardians’ official bankaccounts.
• Note: Digital artworks will not be accepted. The winners are required to acknowledge their prize through an email within 7 days of receiving the official intimation from DNA. Failure to do so will result in forfeiting the prize and a new winner will be selected.

Mandatory # of Entries from Each School

• A minimum of 25 entries is a must to submit school submissions.

Judging will be based on the following criteria

1. Originality
2. Creativity & Interpretation
3. Relevance to Theme
4. Visual Impact

Cash Prizes | Distinction e-Certificates | National & International Exhibitions | Cash Honorariums for Art Teachers/Co-ordinators | SDG DNA Action Awards for Schools | Appreciation Letters for School Administration/ Teachers/ Coordinators

International Prize Money Awards

A total of 9 cash prizes will be awarded to 3 top winners from each of the following three mentioned categories (Category I - III).

1st Prize: USD $200 + Distinction e-Certificate + Exhibitions in Pakistan & Internationally.
1st Prize: USD $100 + Distinction e-Certificate + Exhibitions in Pakistan & Internationally.
1st Prize: USD $50 + Distinction e-Certificate + Exhibitions in Pakistan & Internationally.

• Participants will also receive the Best Creativity Awards for showing the best creative artwork
• Participants will also be awarded the Best SDGs Solutions Award for presenting the best solutions to global problems related to the given themes
• Selected artworks will be exhibited in Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi in galleries.
• Each exhibition runner-up will receive an e-Distinction e-Certificate.
• e-Certificate of Participation will be awarded to all the participants.

International School Winners

Each school-level winner will be awarded a cash prize of $50 and DNA's Distinction e-Certificate and the artwork will be displayed on our online DNA's Global Children's Art Gallery.

(Please note that International prize winners are not eligible for International school winners. A minimum of 100 entries is a must from a school campus in order to be eligible for the school winners.)

Special Accolades for School's Principals/Coordinators/Art Teachers

• Upon submitting a minimum of 100 artworks from a school;
  • • The School Principal will receive an Art for Change e-certificate of Appreciation.
    • Each Art Teacher contributing a minimum of 100 entries will receive a cash honorarium of USD $100/- along with an e-Certificate of Appreciation for making a positive change in society and supporting marginalized children in a developing country.
    • The respective School will be awarded a special School Appreciation e-Letter.

Exclusive SDG DNA Action Award for Schools

Each school contributing a minimum of 200 entries or above will be crowned with an Exclusive SDG DNA Action Award Letter and a special mention on Discovering New Artists' website as a Global Change-Maker School List.

All Art teachers participating will be added on our website as International Change-makers.

You can submit your artwork(s) by
Friday, 30th October 2026
No artworks will be accepted after the deadline

Submission Fee

Fee per Art Entry for Schools/Art Institutions/Academies: USD $12/- (note: a minimum of 25 artworks are mandatory for a school to participate)
Discount for Schools/Art Institutions/Academies: upon 50 entries from each school, the discounted submission fee is USD $10/-

Fee per Art Entry for Individual Entrants: USD $15 per art submission.

Fee Procedure

The fee can be paid online through a Credit Card/ Debit Card at the time of checkout on the registration portal.

File Formats for Submissions:

• Images of the artwork should be clear and of high quality. Blurred or moving images will not be accepted.
• Images with watermarks and stamps will not be accepted. Images should be properly cropped from edge to edge of the artwork, and should not show unnecessary content like tables, walls, and any other background where a picture is taken.
• Images in JPEG, JPG, or PNG formats will only be accepted.
• The images should be taken in bright natural light indoors and should be an accurate representation of the original artwork.

• • Please use the following format for naming files
    • Participant’s full name_age_country
    • For example:
    • Sarah Haider_12_Pakistan

Submission Address (only for the selected participants after Jury)

For all the selected artworks, please attach the artwork submission form at the back of the artwork. If your artwork is selected as a winner or for the exhibition, we will request you to mail it to us at the given address before a specific date in an email. Therefore, do not forget to mention your email in the registration form.

Attn:
Ms. Sidra Ali (Director Programmes)
Art for Change
Discovering New Artists
50-E, Sui Gas Society (Near DHA Phase V)
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92 322 4102159