Overview:

The younger one is, the less culpable they are for the climate crisis– and yet, today’s youth are slated to live through the drastic consequences of earlier generations’ complacency for most of their lives. With this in mind, the Crow’s Nest is eager to platform youth voices for our show May-June 2026, “Claiming the Future.” We are looking to current high school and college students to ask what future they want to grow old in– what would their lives look like? What would the planet look like? 

 

For “Claiming the Future,” We are looking for artwork by current high school and undergraduate students with the following themes:

• Climate/ecological solutions

• Exploring feelings around living in the future– imagining yourself at 30, 50, 80. What will your life look like?

• Depictions of the future you want to live in, not the future you fear

  • Optional: consider picking a year for inspiration– 2050, 2070, 2100

• Work celebrating or depicting current youth activism

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Overall Elligibility:

• All artwork should be original and correctly attributed (collaborative or team artwork is accepted).

• You may submit up to 5 artworks

• Gen AI & AI assisted artwork will not be accepted. Work suspected of AI use will be disqualified.

• You must be enrolled in either high school, an associates program, or undergraduate university at the time of application. We are not accepting artwork from those in Masters or PHD programs.

  • If you are not currently enrolled in school, you may still apply if you are under 21 years old.

  • If you are older than 21 but still in school, please feel free to apply.

• Students under 18 must have a parent or guardian sign their release form alongside them.

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Rules for High Schoolers in Maryland/DC:

• Eligible mediums include: painting, graphic design, poetry, photography, illustration (digital or traditional), posters, 2D fiber arts, and video art (film, animation, experimental).

• Dimensions should be no larger than 70 inches on either plane

• We are not able to accept any 3D artwork for this exhibit, artwork must be wall-hanging.

• Your high school should have a YCI chapter to collect your artwork, you do not have to be a YCI member.

  • Find out if your high school has a YCI chapter here!

  • If your high school does not have a YCI chapter but you are willing and able to deliver & pickup directly to the Crow's Nest or YCI at Howard County, please feel free to submit!

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Rules for College Students/Young Adults in Maryland/DC:

• Eligible mediums include: painting, graphic design, poetry, photography, illustration (digital or traditional), posters, 2D fiber arts, and video art (film, animation, experimental).

• Dimensions should be no larger than 70 inches on either plane

• We CAN accept 3D artwork from this age group in Maryland only, including proposals for our windows space (please email alexi@crowsnestbaltimore.com to recieve dimensions of the window)

• You are fully responsible for the delivery and pickup of your artwork.

 

Rules for All Outside Maryland/DC:

• Eligible mediums include: digital artwork (painting, photography, prints, scanned traditional artwork) (to be printed by the crow’s nest) and Video Artwork.

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• Only High School Students in Maryland are eligible for prizes.

• Video and video art (film, animation, experimental).