Reflections Arts Program

National PTA has a long-standing commitment to arts education. The Reflections program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts which boost student confidence and success in the arts and in life.

Each year, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-created theme. This 50+ year-old program helps them explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life.

This year's theme is "Accepting Imperfection". More information will be coming for submissions - please encourage your students to get started. The program is open to all students PreK-5th grade. 

Reflections Review Criteria

Student entries submitted to the national level go through two rounds of review by arts professionals from across the country. During the evaluation process, judges will consider the following criteria:

• Interpretation: How closely the piece relates to the theme, based on the work itself and the artist statement. 

• Creativity: How creative and original the piece is in its conception of the theme and its presentation. 

• Technique: The level of skill demonstrated in the basic principles/techniques of the arts area.

Crafting a Reflections Artist Statement

In Reflections, judges strongly consider the artist's interpretation of the Reflections theme as shown in the student's original artwork, title and artist statement. To best represent their creativity and originality, artists should create

• a title that stands out and describes how the piece relates to their personal interpretation of the theme

• an artist statement that further describes their theme interpretation and explores the creative process and decisions they made when making their art.

An artist statement should reflect the student's age and/or support needs. Any support provided by an adult (e.g., teacher, parent, guardian) should be minimal and should not alter the student's creative vision or process.