CALLING ALL ARTISTS!

The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) invites K-12 students to participate in The Art of Attendance, a statewide art contest exploring the connection between arts education and school attendance. 

Students are asked to respond to the prompt: "What makes you show up for school?" Through original 2-D artwork, students can share what inspires them to attend, engage, connect, and thrive at school. Teachers are encouraged to support a wide range of creative interpretations of the theme. 

We encourage every art teacher across Rhode Island to engage their students as part of this exciting opportunity. Our hope is that art teachers incorporate this context within their classrooms throughout the fall, and even potentially host an exhibition of the student artwork at their school.  Participation in meaningful, student-centered projects like this can increase student engagement, foster school pride, celebrate creativity, and provide students with a tangible goal to work toward. 

We know arts engagement makes an impact: Recent research highlights that deep and meaningful engagement in arts pathways helps to improve student attendance. 

Here’s how The Art of Attendance statewide contest works: 

• Submissions are open to all RI public school students across all grades. 

• Art teachers should engage their students to create an original 2-D artwork (no bigger than 17” x 24”) that responds to the prompt: “What makes you show up for school?” 

• By January 15, 2027, each school should nominate two pieces of art through this form 

• Artwork should be labeled with the student's name and grade, art medium, school and district, and teacher name. 

A selection committee will then identify selected artwork that will be recognized at the Rhode Island Department of Education in February 2027 and the Rhode Island State House during the Arts in Our Schools Month Celebration in March 2027. 

A review will committee will also identify the top three pieces of selected artwork by grade level. Winning artwork will be awarded First, Second, or Third Place within each grade-level division (Elementary, Middle, and High School) with gift certificates from Jerry’s Artarama in Providence.   

For more information, please contact Brianna.Fournier@ride.ri.gov.