International Student Art Competition

Where Young Artists

Meet the World

Submit traditional or AI-assisted artwork. Compete across three age groups. Exhibit your work at the Hong Kong finals. Win recognition that opens doors.

Register — Early Bird $25 Explore Categories
3
Age Groups
2
Art Categories
HK
Finals Venue
🎨
Student artwork
Category A — Primary
Traditional
✏️
Category A — Middle
Traditional
🖥️
Category B — AI Digital
AI-Assisted
🏆
Finalist works exhibited at Cyberport, Hong Kong — December 2026
Early bird ends  September 30, 2026
Artwork deadline:  October 31, 2026
Finals:  December 4–6, 2026 · Hong Kong
About the competition

Art without borders. Recognition without limits.

The Emerald Prize is an international student art competition run by Emerald Horizon Ventures, a Hong Kong-registered education company. We believe every student — whether they draw with pencil or design with AI — deserves a stage that is truly global.

Finalists from around the world exhibit their work live at Cyberport, Hong Kong alongside the EHV Finals Week — a three-competition event bringing students from 30+ countries together in December 2026.

🌏
Open to students worldwide
Grades 1–12 across any country. No previous competition experience required. First-time competitors welcome.
⚖️
Fair judging — always separate panels
Traditional and AI-assisted work are never judged against each other. Each category has its own independent judging panel.
🏛️
Exhibition at Cyberport, Hong Kong
Finalist works are exhibited live at Hong Kong's premier tech and innovation hub during the December awards ceremony.
📜
Certificates for all participants
Every student who submits receives a participation certificate. Winners and finalists receive award certificates suitable for university applications.
Competition categories

Two paths. One stage.

Whether you draw by hand or design with AI tools, there's a category built for you. The two categories celebrate different skills — and each is judged by specialists in that field.

🎨
Category A
Traditional Art

Handmade artwork created with physical media. Celebrates craftsmanship, technique, and the irreplaceable quality of work made by human hands — no digital tools in the creation process.

Drawing Painting Watercolor Ink Pastels Mixed media Collage
Submittted as high-resolution photo of the physical artwork. Original work must be available if selected as finalist.
🖥️
Category B
AI-Assisted Digital Design

Digital artwork created with the help of AI tools. Celebrates creative direction, visual thinking, and the emerging skill of working with generative AI as a creative partner — not a replacement.

Canva Midjourney Adobe Firefly Procreate Affinity Any AI tool
⚠️ Required: 1-page process document showing your creative journey — what you prompted, how you refined it, what decisions you made. Judged on creative vision, not just the final image.
Age groups & annual themes

Three groups. Three themes.

Students compete within their own age group — never against older or younger participants. Each group has its own annual theme, chosen to be open to interpretation across cultures.

Primary
Primary Group
Grades 1–5 · Ages 6–11
2026 Theme
My World
Middle
Middle Group
Grades 6–9 · Ages 11–15
2026 Theme
My Culture
Senior
Senior Group
Grades 10–12 · Ages 15–18
2026 Theme
My Vision
Awards & recognition

Win recognition that matters.

Prizes are awarded per category, per age group — giving every student a fair chance. All finalist works are exhibited live at Cyberport, Hong Kong.

🥉
Third Place
Bronze Award
Official award certificate
Name in competition catalogue
Printed & digital recognition
🥇
First Place
Gold Award
Gold award certificate + trophy
Work featured in official publication
Live exhibition at Cyberport HK
Featured on EHV social media
🥈
Second Place
Silver Award
Silver award certificate
Work featured in catalogue
Digital recognition package
Also awarded
Finalist Recognition + All-Participant Certificates
Every student who submits receives a participation certificate. Finalists receive a distinct finalist certificate and have their work displayed at the Hong Kong exhibition.
Key dates

Your competition journey

🎯
Sep 1, 2026
Registration opens
⚡
Sep 30, 2026
Early bird deadline
🎨
Oct 31, 2026
Artwork submission deadline
📣
Nov 15, 2026
Finalist notification
🏆
Dec 4–6, 2026
Exhibition & awards, Hong Kong
Entry fees

Simple, transparent pricing

One fee per student covers both submission and participation certificate. Register early to save $10.

Save $10
Early Bird Rate
$25
Per student · Ends September 30, 2026
One artwork submission (Category A or B)
Participation certificate for all entrants
Finalist certificate if selected
Work exhibited at Cyberport HK if finalist
Name in official competition catalogue
Standard Rate
$35
Per student · From October 1, 2026
One artwork submission (Category A or B)
Participation certificate for all entrants
Finalist certificate if selected
Work exhibited at Cyberport HK if finalist
Name in official competition catalogue
💡 School coordinators: Submit multiple students under one registration. Download the school coordinator kit — includes Canva poster, announcement template, and bulk registration guide.
Finals venue

Hong Kong. December 2026.

Cyberport Hong Kong
📍
Venue
Cyberport, Hong Kong SAR
📅
Finals dates
December 4–6, 2026
🖼️
Exhibition schedule
Dec 4 — Art exhibition setup
Dec 5 — Exhibition open + judging
Dec 6 — Joint awards ceremony
🌍
Co-located events
A-ISPC 2026 (AI & Science) and A-IBFC 2026 (Business & Finance) run simultaneously — 300+ students from 30+ countries
Cyberport is Hong Kong's government-backed technology hub — a prestigious venue that signals the competition's commitment to innovation, creativity, and professional standards.
Who can enter

Open to all. Everywhere.

🎓
Grade 1 to Grade 12
All compulsory school students are eligible. Primary (Gr 1–5), Middle (Gr 6–9), and Senior (Gr 10–12) age groups ensure fair competition.
🌐
Any country, any school
International, national, or homeschool students are all welcome. We especially encourage entries from Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Hong Kong.
🎨
Original work only
Artwork must be the student's own original creation. Category B entries must include a process document showing creative decisions made.
👩‍🏫
School group entries welcome
Teachers and coordinators can register entire classes or cohorts. Bulk registration available through the school coordinator portal.
🔒
No prior experience needed
First-time competitors are as welcome as experienced artists. Judges evaluate work within age group and category — not against professional standards.
📋
One entry per student
Each student may submit one artwork to either Category A or Category B. Choose the category that best matches how you created your work.
Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know

Can a student enter both Category A and B?
No — each student selects one category. The entry fee covers one submission. Choose the category that best reflects how you made your artwork.
What file format should I submit?
High-resolution JPEG or PNG (minimum 2400px on the long side). Category B entries must also include a 1-page PDF process document alongside the image file.
Do finalists need to travel to Hong Kong?
Travel is encouraged but not required. Physical artwork will be displayed on behalf of finalists who cannot attend. The awards ceremony will be streamed live.
How are winners selected in Category B?
Category B judges evaluate creative vision, the quality of the process document, and how thoughtfully the student directed the AI tools — not just the final image's visual polish.
How many students can a school enter?
There is no limit. Schools can enter as many students as they wish. School coordinators receive a bulk registration kit with Canva posters and announcement templates.
Are entries returned to students?
Digital submissions are not returned but are not retained beyond the competition year. Physical artworks displayed at Cyberport are returned to students after the exhibition.
Enter the Emerald Prize

Your artwork deserves a global stage.

Early bird registration open now through September 30. Save $10 per student. Artwork deadline October 31.

Register Now — $25 Early Bird Contact Us