Emergence

Growing Young Artists

Enter for a chance to be published in Heber Valley Life Magazine

2026 Theme:

The America Story: Celebrating 250 Years

On July 4, 2026, our nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond.

The Official Rules

By submitting artwork to Heber Valley Life Magazine’s “Emergence” contest, participants accept and agree to follow the official rules for participating, as well as the requirements for entry in the specific art category. Violation of any rules may, at the discretion of Heber Valley Life Magazine and the Art Emergence Board, disqualify the submission.

Eligibility:

Students must be enrolled at any Wasatch County School District school in grades K-12.

Grade Division:

Entries will be reviewed in the age categories of elementary school (grades K-2, 3-5), middle school (grades 6-8), and high school (grades 9-12)

Art Categories:

The available art category is 2D: drawing, painting, Mixed Media/Graphic Design, and photography and 3D: pottery and sculpted work. Students may enter up to two entries, but they must be in differing categories. Entries are not to exceed 24″ x 30″. See specific art category rules for varying entry requirements.

Submission:

Students must submit artwork and student entry forms on Heber Valley Life Magazine’s official website. All entrants must follow requirements according to their chosen art category. Deadlines are posted on Heber Valley Life Magazine’s and the Emergence website.

Ownership and License:

The ownership of any submission will remain the property of the entrant. Entering into the contest gives irrevocable permission for Heber Valley Life Magazine to display, copy, reproduce, enhance, print, sublicense, publish, distribute, and create derivative works. Finalists of all age categories will be asked to lease their artwork to Wasatch County School District, to display in their building. The lease will be effective for a minimum of two years after which the artist or their guardian may reach out to the Wasatch County School District should they want to reclaim their artwork .  Wasatch County School District along with Heber Valley Life Magazine is not responsible for damaged or lost entries. By entering Heber Valley Life Magazine’s Emergence Contest, entrants accept all rules and regulations.

ENTER TODAY

**Complete Contest Rules can be found in the forms**

Entry Requirements:

  • Must be new artwork inspired by current year’s theme: “The America Story: Celebrating 250 Years”
  • The entry must be original work by the student only. The purpose of the contest is based on exposing local student’s artwork and creativity.
  • No help from adults or collaborations with other students are allowed. Other people may appear or model for the artwork, but the work must be the individual product of one student.
  • Only one student can be recognized as the artist for each entry.
  • Every entry must have a title, different than the theme, and an artist statement. This must be between 10 – 100 words and it should tell of what inspired the work and how it can relate to the theme. The artist statement is just as important as the artwork!
  • Using copyright material is not allowed, any plagiarism will be disqualified.

Finalist Selection and Notification:

  • Entrants are reviewed by three distinguished individuals in our community.
  • Each entrant will be reviewed based on their ability to artistically showcase the theme and their unique creativity.
  • Parents or students may not contact reviewer(s) to change any status of an entry.
  • Heber Valley Life Magazine will announce the finalists and honorable mentions on the website, www.hebervalleylife.com.

Awards/Recognition of Finalists:

  • Semi-Finalists could potentially be asked to display their work at Wasatch High School for further reviewing of students moving forward to the finalist round.
  • Finalists of all age categories will be asked to lease their artwork to Wasatch County School District, to be displayed in the district office.
  • The finalist of Wasatch High School will be the featured artist in the summer 2026 issue of Heber Valley Life Magazine. Their art will be professionally photographed and featured along with an interview of the artist.

Deadlines

ALL ARTWORK SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE APRIL 14th, 2026

Enter

Entering is this easy!

  • Open submission form for your age division
  • Fill it out Completely
  • Submit your artwork and the form online

Age Divisions (grade):

K - 2
3 - 5
6 - 8
9 - 12