Lusophone Calendar Art Contest for Kids 2025, Rhode Island, USA

[ 0 ] 17/03/2025 | liza

I just learned about the Lusophone Calendar Art Contest for Kids, which was published on the Vice-Consulate of Portugal in Providence website and The Herald News! It’s such an honor that my book “Summer with Grandpa” in European Portuguese (there’s another edition in Brazilian Portuguese) has been selected for this purpose. I truly hope it will inspire kids and that they’ll have a great time reading in Portuguese and painting. 300 calendars featuring the winners’ paintings will be printed.

The watercolor artist is Svitlana Holovchenko, the European Portuguese translator is André Morgado, and the proofreader is Ana Pereira.

Links:
https://providence.consuladoportugal.mne.gov.pt/en/the-consulate/news/2025-lusophone-calendar-art-contest

https://providence.consuladoportugal.mne.gov.pt/images/iplws_2025_calendar_contest_rules-rdx.pdf

https://eu.heraldnews.com/story/news/local/ojornal/2025/02/27/portuguese-studies-institute-rhode-island-college-bilingual-lusophone-calendar-art-contest-returns/80708128007/

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Art-Calendar-Contest-is-back-.html?soid=1103000147407&aid=kRVbsdfTn4c

The Lusophone Calendar Art Contest is back. Seeking entries from K-12th graders.

Organized by the Institute for Portuguese and Lusophone World Studies (IPLWS) at Rhode Island College in collaboration with the Day of Portugal and Portuguese Heritage in RI, Inc., the contest is open to students aged 5 to 18 who wish to submit their drawings to be featured in a 2026 bilingual calendar.

“We have returned by teacher demand,” said Dr. Silvia Oliveira, the Director of RIC’s Institute for Portuguese and Lusophone World Studies. “Since 2004, over 4,000 students have participated in this activity.”

In its 18th edition, the contest is open to students enrolled in Portuguese language and culture classes in public, private or charter schools or community Portuguese schools.

“There is no better way to learn a language than by learning the culture, the stories, the places, the traditions throughout the ages, and the modern times,” said Dr. Oliveira.

The goal is to encourage students to develop an understanding of Lusophone cultures and heritage by learning about their people, stories, history, geography and art through artistic expression.

“The Portuguese-speaking nations span 900 years and there are over 265 million speakers spread through all continents, including our heritage communities here in the U.S.,” said Dr. Oliveira. “And the Portuguese language has the unique ability to connect all of those different cultures and people in all continents today.”

Students 5 to 10 years old (grades K-5) are invited to explore a bilingual picture book provided by the IPLWS and submit their drawings based on the story of the book. Students aged 11 to 18 are asked to explore a given theme.

“Our themes are designed to be developmentally appropriate for students’ ages, and relevant to Portuguese language learning, following curricular guidance set by the Rhode Island World Language Standards and the ACTFL World Readiness Standards for Learning Languages,” Dr. Silvia said.

Teachers are asked to work with their students in exploring themes and in encouraging their students’ imagination and creativity through artistic expression.

“The materials are made available to all K-12 teachers of Portuguese language and Lusophone cultures; however, only Rhode Island students can submit their artwork for this contest,”

What are the age categories and themes for the 2026 Bilingual Lusophone Art Calendar?

The 2025 Lusophone Calendar Art Contest age categories and themes are as follows:

Ages 5 to 7 (Grades K-2): ‘Summer with Grandpa/Verão com o Avô’ by Elisavet Arkolaki;
Ages 8 to 10 (Grades 3-5): ‘Summer with Grandpa/Verão com o Avô’ by Elisavet Arkolaki or ‘A Lusophone Picture of the Past’;
Ages 11-13 (Grades 6 -8): ‘A Lusophone Picture of the Past’;
Ages 14-18 (Grades 9 -12): ‘A Lusophone Picture of the Past.’

Only one entry per student will be accepted.

Entries will be judged by a panel of judges selected by the IPLWS Community Advisory Board.

The three entries in each age category with the most votes will be declared the winners. Each winner will receive a monetary prize.

Each teacher from a winning entry will receive a matching award, to be expended on materials or activities for their Portuguese classes.

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If any of you live in Rhode Island, speak Portuguese, and have kids or students who will participate in this competition, please send me an email.

Thank you!