A District 5330 Vocational Service Program
Art for Peace
A district-wide visual-art contest inviting young people to express what peace and service mean to them — in their own hand.
Peace, in the hand of a young artist
Peace is one of Rotary International’s seven Areas of Focus — and one of the hardest ideas to teach. The District 5330 Art for Peace contest invites young artists across Riverside and San Bernardino counties to do what artists have always done: make the invisible visible.
Each year, students submit original visual artwork — painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, graphic design — that responds to a peace-themed prompt selected by the Peace Conference committee. This year’s theme is “Peace Begins With Me.” All entries must incorporate a Rotary International or Rotary Interact logo clearly within the artwork. Submissions are judged by a panel of artists and Rotarians at both the club level and district level contests. Winning entries at the district level contest are displayed at the Peace Conference and at the Rotary Youth Showcase Event.
- Open to students across District 5330, sponsored by their local Rotary club.
- Multiple age categories so artists compete with peers.
Age divisions
Artists compete with peers in their own age group, across four divisions.
At the district contest each division awards $250 for first place, $150 for second and $100 for third. Club-level awards are at each club’s discretion.
Primary
Grades TK–2 (ages 5–7).
Elementary
Grades 3–5 (ages 8–10).
Middle School
Grades 6–8 (ages 11–13).
High School
Grades 9–12 (ages 14–18).
Submission guidelines
- Get sponsored by a local Rotary club. Every entry must be sponsored by a District 5330 Rotary club. Don’t know one near you? Find a Club.
- Create original artwork responding to the year’s theme. Maximum size is 11 × 14 inches, on a canvas or board no more than ½ inch thick. Work created with artificial intelligence — in whole or in part — may not be entered.
- Include the entry form signed by the artist, a parent or guardian (for minors), and the sponsoring Rotarian.
- Submit by the deadline through your sponsoring Rotary club, which will forward eligible entries to the district committee.
Key dates
- October 15 – November 15, 2026 — club-level contests.
- November 24, 2026 — deadline for clubs to submit first-place entries to the district.
- Saturday, December 12, 2026 — district judging in Corona (not open to the public).
- Monday, December 14, 2026, 4:00 PM — winners announced on this website.
- Saturday, January 23, 2027 — winning artwork displayed at the Garbis Der-Yeghian Peace Conference, Cal Poly Pomona.
- April 2027 — artwork displayed at the District 5330 Rotary Youth Showcase.
Judging criteria
Entries are judged by a panel of artists, art educators, and Rotarians against the district judging rubric, scored out of 40 points:
- Interpretation (20 points) — how closely the piece relates to the theme.
- Creativity (10 points) — how creative and original the piece is in its conception of the theme and its presentation.
- Technique (10 points) — the level of skill demonstrated in the basic principles and techniques of the arts area.
Each criterion is scored across five levels — Beginning, Developing, Proficient, Accomplished and Advanced. Clubs are encouraged to use the same rubric for their club-level contest: download the judging rubric.
2026 contest documents
This year’s theme is Peace Begins With Me. Download the full rules and entry form, the judging rubric used at both club and district level, and the responsibilities guide for club-level chairs.
Club chairs: please email District Chair Linda White at lindawhite346@yahoo.com by September 30, 2026 to take part and receive Zoom training.
Celebrating our first Art for Peace winners
Our inaugural Art for Peace Contest exceeded every expectation. Students across District 5330 submitted artwork full of skill, originality, and heartfelt messages of diversity, compassion, community, and kindness. Judges praised the creativity, color, and symbolism on display — and families, educators, and Rotarians left inspired by the next generation of peacebuilders. Congratulations to every student who took part. Here are the placed winners in each division.
How winners are honored
First-place winners in each category are recognized at the District Conference and have their work featured on this website and in District communications. Past winners will be celebrated here once the 2026 contest concludes.
Questions about Art for Peace?
The 2026 program chair will be announced shortly. In the meantime, reach the District 5330 Vocational Service team for sponsor info, school outreach, or to help judge.