Help us spread the word to Ohio youth about the arts competitions and exhibition opportunities offered in Creative and Youth Arts at the Ohio State Fair this summer! Unless otherwise stated on the competition pages, youth ages 11 and up can enter Creative Arts competitions.
Use the direct links below for all Youth Arts Exhibition and Creative Arts competition information and entry details.
- For Youth Arts Exhibition: https://ohiostatefair.com/youth-arts/
- For Arts, Crafts & Fashion Competitions: https://ohiostatefair.com/arts-crafts-fashion/
- For Culinary & Baking Arts Competitions: https://ohiostatefair.com/culinary/
Competition Highlights Include:
Youth Arts Exhibition Highlights
- Win a $1,000 Blick Art Materials Shopping Spree for Your School’s Art Department – The school or home school affiliation with the most students entered will win this award. Shopping Spree can be in-store or by catalog (dickblick.com).
- All Youth Artists Featured in the Exhibition – In addition to being considered for awards, all youth will receive a Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Trio Card; good for 3 scoops of ice cream.
- Nationwide Children’s People’s Choice Awards – One award in each division.
- A Bareclay Studios Ceramics Class will be awarded in each division – Recognizing outstanding ceramics work.
- Youth Artists Selected to Receive the Governor’s Award of Excellence in the 2018 Ohio Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition – Receive free entry for up to 10 pieces of work in the 2018 Ohio State Fair Youth Arts Exhibition.
- Ohio Arts Council Awards– Middle School and High School artists receive Blick Art Materials gift card awards.
- New Mary Dorrian Memorial Awards – One youth in each division will receive this award.
- First Lady’s Spotlight Award – Ohio’s First Lady, Karen Kasich, will choose three pieces of artwork for this award.
- Deadline is June 20, 2018.
Creative Arts Competition Highlights
Arts, Crafts and Fashion
- New form required for Fashion & Sewing Arts competition.
- Miniature Model Shipbuilding class now accepting plastic and wood models.
- Photography competition now accepting unlimited entries!
- Woodworking competition now offering over $1,000 in awards.
- New Cork Art class offered in Other Crafting Art competition.
- Fair Phone Photo Day on-site competition only $5/entry.
- Loom Weaving competition now offering 3 classes
- Quilt competition now offering new Modern Quilt class.
- Check Out our Daily, Hands-on Art Activities.
- Deadline is June 20, 2018
Culinary & Baking
- New Heirloom Cake Recipe is “Applesauce Cake”
- Baked Pies competition offers Increased award dollars and new Hodgson Mill flour requirement.
- Cakes and Cookies/Pastries competitions have new Domino brown sugar requirement.
- Aramark “Chopped Cook-Off” featuring shortened time periods for both competition rounds.
- Egg-stra, Egg-stra competition offers increased award dollars and new classes.
- New Farm to Table competition – Enter your best cold salad recipe.
- Crazy Cake Decorating competition – First 10 entries delivered receive one Fair admission ticket.
- Professional/Advanced Cake Decorating – Novelty Cake class is back.
- Deadline is June 20, 2018
These Live Culinary Competitions are open to any Ohioan who enjoys cooking & baking!
If you miss the deadline, you can still enter these competitions day of the event for $60/competition (cash only).
Professionals & Amateur Chefs Encouraged to Enter!
- Aramark Chopped Cook-Off Saturday, August 4
- Egg-citing and Devilishly Good Saturday, July 28
- Grilling Competition Saturday, July 28
- Ohio Wines Grown Here Friday, August 3
- Chili Cook-Off Sunday, July 29
- Family Heirloom Recipe Competition Sunday, July 29
For more info, contact: Sandy Libertini, Ohio State Fair Arts Director at 614-579-5743 or s.libertini@expo.ohio.gov
Ohio State Fair dates:
07/25/18 – 08/05/18