How to Gain Exposure and Launch Your Art Career through Contests and Awards

If you are creating amazing art and want to gain exposure, contests are a great opportunity for recognition, especially if you are looking to impress prospective employers or make connections with peers in your chosen field.

Check out our guide to some of the best art contests out there, and all the job opportunities available for artists like you, at the start of your creative journey.

With so many digital art contests to choose from, there are countless opportunities for you to get your work out there. And, if you are on a budget, winning prizes, like the amazing software and hardware offered by Sponsors of the Rookie Awards 2023, allows you some financial reprieve as you work on your creative projects.

Winning internships and mentorships can also be a great way to gain practical experience, develop your skills, and build your professional network. Although these types of career opportunities are typically temporary positions and may not lead to permanent employment, they sometimes do!

Both internships and mentorships can be beneficial for students who are looking to gain a foothold in their chosen field. They can help you develop the skills and experience they need to succeed in your career and provide a valuable foundation for your future growth and success.

Read this great article on how a mentorship at Unsigned Studios, has provided Sebastià Mercadal the inspiration and guidance he was looking for on the start of his career journey.

Opportunities to Kickstart Careers: Archviz Mentorship with Unsigned Studio

There is simply no better way to launch your career than to enter the Rookie Awards and win one of the amazing Career Opportunities on offer.

Discover | The RookiesThe Scout

Ready to show off your art to the world? Check out our guide to some of the best art contests to enter this year.

• Hum3D.com Art Challenge - Inviting 3D artists to create an immersive and 3D rendering of an industrial environment in a science fiction world.
• ZBrushGuides Challenges - Keep an eye out for contests run by ZBrushGuides Founder Pablo Munoz Gomez. This March participants were invited to showcase their artistic skills by creating their own version of a Na'vi character from the famous movie, Avatar.

• ArtQuest Community Challenges - Fostering community-based learning to help you improve your skills, while also creating some great new content to keep your portfolio fresh.
• Inktober -Inktober is a month long art challenge created by artist Jake Parker that is focused on improving skill and developing positive drawing habits. Every day for the month of October anyone participating in the Inktober challenge creates an ink drawing and posts it online.
• Nodevember - A yearly challenge during the month of November, to improve and show off your procedural skills.
• ArtStation Contests - Epic art competitions for everyone.
• The Lumen Prize - Celebrating the very best art created with technology through a global competition.

• The Rookie Awards - Entering your work to the Rookie Awards is simply the best way to win a career opportunity, some epic prizes, and connections that will see you through your career. This year, we are offering 17 amazing opportunities that span the game development, virtual fashion, animation, visual effects industries, and more. Check out these amazing studios and what is on offer:

If you are interested in applying for an internship or mentorship offered during the Rookie Awards 2023, you will need to check the requirements for each of the contests, of which you can find here.

No matter what contest you chose to enter, there is no better way to launch your career than by sharing your work online, and putting yourself in front of industry professionals who are willing to give you a chance. Good luck!