What I Learned Hosting My First Art Contest: Reflections from the “Salt is in the Air” Artist Challenge
When I first announced the “Salt is in the Air” artist challenge, I had no idea how much it would take off, or how much I would learn along the way. What started as a small idea to bring a few creatives together turned into a full-blown event, with dozens of talented artists submitting their coastal-inspired work, hundreds of votes rolling in, and more engagement than I could’ve imagined.
Here’s what I learned from hosting my very first art contest:
1. Artists Show Up When You Give Them the Space
I was blown away by the number of submissions, and even more so by the thoughtfulness, creativity, and heart in each one. Giving artists a prompt, a deadline, and a reason to share their work created an amazing wave of participation. I learned that artists want to be seen, challenged, and celebrated.
Image by Mikhail Nilov
2. The Details Matter, But Perfection Isn’t the Goal
I relied on Instagram’s hashtag system to collect all the submissions in one place, which seemed like a simple solution at the time. But I quickly learned that it’s not foolproof. Video-formatted entries were hidden from the hashtag feed while I was putting together my Part 1 and 2 carousel posts, which led to a few entries being unintentionally missed. It was a tough lesson, but a helpful one: next time, I’ll create a dedicated spreadsheet to track each submission as it comes in, regardless of format. I also realized how important it is to write down all key dates in my planner to avoid mixing up deadlines, because let’s be honest, my mom-brain is full!
Image by Yan Krukau
3. Community Is the Secret Sauce
This contest wasn’t just about the art. It was about people, the artists who shared their work, the voters who showed up in support, the judges who gave their time, and everyone who messaged me cheering it on. Watching the community rally around this event was the highlight of the whole thing.
Image by Min An
4. Recognition Means More Than You Think
One of my favorite moments was creating the certificates for our winners. It may seem like a small gesture, but it meant a lot to be able to say: You did something worth celebrating. I realized how powerful it can be to give artists something they can hold onto. Whether that’s a title, a certificate, or simply acknowledgment that their work made an impact.
5. I Want to Do This Again
Hosting this challenge lit a fire in me. It was so much work, but it was also incredibly fulfilling. I’m already dreaming about the next one, and how I can make it even better, with smoother processes, more visibility, and maybe even bigger prizes. If this was just the beginning, I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Final Thoughts
To every artist who entered, every voter who took the time to show up, and every follower who cheered this contest on from the sidelines: thank you. You made this a success. You reminded me that art connects us, that people care, and that magic happens when you simply start.
Until next time,
Tianna