The South Carolina Council on the Holocaust is excited to announce a partnership with Chapman University of Orange County, California to offer an art and writing contest for students in South Carolina.

The Chapman University Holocaust Art and Writing Contest is in its 22nd year and offers monetary rewards of up to $400 for students and first place student winners, their parent-guardian, and their teacher will be invited to an expense-paid study trip to Los Angeles, CA!

Additionally there will be $2000 in prizes offered just to SC students who compete as well.

See below for more details on both contests.

2022-2023 Holocaust Art & Writing Contest

Theme: The Strength of Love and the Will to Survive

Participation Categories: Students can choose to participate in one of four categories:

  • Art
  • Film
  • Poetry
  • Prose/Essay

Awards:

  • First place in each category for middle and high school levels
    • $400 for the student
    • $200 for the educator and school
    • Expense-paid trip for the student, one parent-guardian, and the student’s teacher
  • Second place in each category for middle and high school levels
    • $200 for the student
    • $100 for the educator and school

Submission Due Date for the Chapman University Contest: February 1, 2023

All entries must be postmarked, or sent digitally, by February 1, 2023. All entries must be submitted according to the directions on the Chapman University website and a maximum of three entries per school are allowed.

For more specific details about the contest, including this year’s theme and the prompt, go to this website: Chapman University Holocaust & Arts Contest

SCCH State Contest

All entries from South Carolina students can also be sent to the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust for the chance to win an additional statewide award based on grade level*:

  • Middle School (Grades 6-8) - $500
  • High School (Grades 9-11) - $500
  • Senior Scholarship (Grade 12) - $1000

*Only one award will be given for the best overall project at each level, regardless of the category (art, film, poetry, prose/essay) of the entry. Students will be judged according to the same general criteria as the Chapman University Contest.

Students who also wish to enter in the statewide contest must also submit their work separately to the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust. (Student submissions for the statewide contest will be reviewed separately and independently of the Chapman University contest.)

The SCCH contest will accept one entry per student, but as many entries per school as that school wishes to submit.

All South Carolina students in grades 6-12 are eligible to compete in the SCCH state contest. They are not required to have participated in the Chapman University contest in order to participate in the SCCH state contest.

SCCH State Deadline: April 15, 2023

The detailed guidelines for each category and the submission form for student entries can be located here: SCCH Art & Writing Contest Guidelines

Entries will be accepted for the state contest starting in February 2023. The details for submission to the state contest will be published here in January.

Please contact program assistant Elizabeth Stiles at education@scholocaustcouncil.org if you have questions.