The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission
in partnership with
Historic Cane Hill, Inc. and the Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation
2026 Arkansas State Quail and Turkey Stamp Contest
The winning artist in each category will receive $2,500 cash
Along with publicity and media recognition
The artwork of the Grand Prize-winning artists will be featured on the 2026 Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s State Quail Stamp and State Turkey Stamp. The stamps increase awareness of the importance of habitat restoration to benefit Arkansas’s quail and turkey population. Proceeds from stamp sales will be used on habitat restoration projects on public lands.
Competition Eligibility
Open to all United States residents 18 years of age or older. Void in states where prohibited.
Entry Deadline
11:59 PM, Saturday, January 24, 2026
Exhibition
Accepted works will be exhibited in the Historic Cane Hill Gallery, Cane Hill, Arkansas
Entry Fee: FREE
Arkansas Quail and Turkey Stamp Contest 2026
Technical Guidelines
How to Enter:
Artists should upload a digital photograph of their artwork through OnlineJuriedShows. Log in and click Enter This Show above to begin your submissions. Each artist may submit up to three entries. These entries may be in any combination from one or both categories (quail and turkey). Artists will be notified by email when the results of your submission are available in your OnlineJuriedShows artist profile. Artwork accepted into the exhibition must be delivered to the exhibition venue according to the dates indicated on the event calendar.
Image files must be jpg, under 4 mb, and in sRGB colorspace. For best results, images should be at least 1920 pixels on the longest side @ 72 dpi. For help with your submissions, contact onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com or 888-666-1351.
Entry Fee:
There is no fee to enter this contest.
Cash Prizes
Category 1 (Quail) Category 2 (Turkey)
Grand Prize $ 2,500* Grand Prize $ 2,500*
Second Place: $ 500 Second Place $ 500
Third Place: $ 250 Third Place $ 250
*purchase award
Event Calendar:
Entry deadline: 11:59 PM, Saturday, January 24, 2026
Notification of acceptance: February 16, 2026
Deadline to receive artwork at gallery: February 21, 2026
Artist’s reception/awards presentation: March 14, 2026
Exhibition opens to the public: March 14, 2026
Exhibition closes: April 18, 2026
Return of unsold artwork begins: April 20, 2026
Deadline to pick up artwork from gallery: May 2, 2026
Subject matter: Category 1 (Quail)
All design entries must include a live portrayal of the northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) within its correct, Arkansas natural habitat. All entry designs must have an equal focus on the bird itself and its habitat features. Hunting equipment, hunting dogs, or elements celebrating upland game bird hunting heritage or conservation efforts can be included in the design but are not required. Judges will be looking at overall artistic merit and does the design accurately and ecologically depict a natural scene that bobwhites would inhabit. The judges will select the best design that will make an interesting, useful, and attractive Quail Stamp that will be accepted and prized by hunters, conservationists, stamp collectors, and others. Winning designs will draw significant attention to the key Northern Bobwhite habitat characteristics. The submitted artwork must be the original hand-created design of the artist. The artwork may not be copied or duplicated from previously published art, including photographs, or from images in any format published on the internet. Photographs, computer-generated art, or art produced from a computer printer or other computer/mechanical output device (airbrush method accepted) are not eligible to be entered in the contest. An entry submitted in a prior contest but was not selected for a stamp design may be submitted in the current contest if the entry meets all other criteria.
No scrollwork, lettering, signatures, or initials may appear on the artwork image.
Subject matter: Category 2 (Turkey)
All design entries must include a live portrayal of the eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) within its correct Arkansas natural habitat. All entry designs must have an equal focus on the bird and its habitat features.
Hunting equipment and/or elements celebrating turkey hunting heritage or conservation efforts may be included in the design but are not required. Judges will be looking at overall artistic merit, as well as accuracy in depicting an ecologically correct, natural scene that eastern wild turkeys would inhabit. The judges will select the best design that will make an interesting, useful and attractive turkey stamp that will be accepted and prized by hunters, conservationists, stamp collectors and others. Winning designs will draw significant attention to eastern wild turkey habitat characteristics. The submitted artwork must be the original hand-created design of the artist. The artwork may not be copied or duplicated from previously published art, including photographs, or from images in any format published on the internet. Photographs, computer-generated art, or art produced from a computer printer or other computer/mechanical output device (airbrush method accepted) are not eligible to be entered in the contest. An entry submitted in a prior contest but not selected for a stamp design may be submitted in the current contest if the entry meets all other criteria.
No scrollwork, lettering, signatures or initials may appear on the artwork image.
Artwork Dimensions:
The stamp format requires the original artwork to be done in a horizontal orientation, exactly 18 inches wide by 13 inches tall (no exceptions). These dimensions will accommodate the finished stamp dimensions of 1.75” x 1.5”. Consider the amount of detail to include in the artwork based on this size reduction. Artwork may be done on paper, canvas, or panel.
Judging:
A panel of qualified judges will select the artworks to be included in the exhibition. The judges will also select the winning artworks. The decision of the judges is final.
Artwork Delivery:
Artwork should be shipped to the exhibition venue or may be dropped off in person. All costs related to shipping artwork to and from the venue is the responsibility of the artist.
The shipping address for artwork is:
Historic Cane Hill, Inc.
14335 Hwy 45, P.O. Box 83
Canehill, Arkansas 72717
Attention: Lawrence McElroy
479-824-5339.
Artwork must be received by February 21, 2026. Hand-delivered artwork may be dropped off Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. or Saturdays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. or by appointment. Note: Artists are encouraged to provide insurance for their artwork during shipping.
Exhibition of Artwork:
Artwork accepted by the contest judges will be included in a public exhibition in the Historic Cane Hill Gallery. The exhibition will also feature works accepted into the Arkansas Turkey Stamp Contest. Cane Hill is a picturesque, art-friendly, Ozark community in northwest Arkansas, adjacent to a burgeoning arts corridor and only 45 minutes from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. www.historiccanehillar.org/gallery
Declaration of Value:
For insurance purposes, artists must declare the value of each painting submitted for entry, in U.S. dollars, even if the artwork is not for sale. Please add the value to the description field on your entry form, and add NFS to the price field.
Sale of Artwork:
Artists may choose to offer their artwork for sale in this exhibition. Artwork sales transactions will be conducted by the staff of Historic Cane Hill, Inc., but all shipping arrangements and shipping costs will be the responsibility of the artist. Artwork sold during this exhibition will not be released to the buyer until after the close of the exhibition.
Artists will be charged a 25% sales commission on each individual artwork sold during the duration of the 2026 public exhibition. Proceeds generated from all sales commission fees will benefit Historic Cane Hill, Inc. Payments due to the artist for sales will be forwarded to the artist in the form of a bank check. Payments to artists will be processed and mailed immediately following the close of the exhibition.
Return of artwork:
The two works of art selected as the grand prize winners will become the property of the sponsor and will not be returned to the artists. The remaining entries will be returned to the artists.
Artwork may be picked up in person at the exhibition venue, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. or Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. between April 20 and May 2, 2026.
Artwork that was shipped to the venue MUST contain prepaid postage for return shipping.
Framing:
All artwork accepted into this exhibition must be appropriately framed. If also matted, the matting should be white.
Contest Exhibition and Participation Agreement
Entry into this contest constitutes an agreement by the entering artist to comply with the terms and conditions regarding the display, participation, and Image reproduction rights detailed in this Contest Exhibition and Participation Agreement. This contest is void in states where It Is prohibited by law.
1. Artwork entered in the Arkansas Quail Stamp and Arkansas Turkey Stamp Contest may be displayed In a gallery setting at Historic Cane Hill and possibly other venues, at the discretion of Historic Cane Hill, Inc., and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, for the purpose of promoting public awareness of quail and turkey habitat restoration.
2. The artist waives any claims for damage or loss that might otherwise lie against Historic Cane Hill, Inc., the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, or the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation during the time their entry Is In the custody of the management of this contest and exhibition.
3. The artist agrees to allow event sponsors unrestricted use and reproduction of Images submitted, artwork, artist names, and photographs of the artist for event marketing and publicity, and promotion of public awareness of quail and turkey habitat restoration efforts and Issues.
4. The artist affirms that his/her entry is a creation of his/her own hand, neither copied nor duplicated from previously published art, including paintings, drawings in any medium, or published photographs, or from Images of any kind previously published on the Internet.
If my artwork is selected as the grand prize-winning entry, I also agree to the following:
1. Selection as a winner is contingent upon signing a work-for-hire and rights assignment agreement with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
2. As the grand prize-winning artist, I will be awarded the sum of $2,500.00 cash as the prize. No other compensation will be offered or delivered to me, the Artist, as a result of winning this contest.
3. I understand the winning artwork will become the property of the purchase prize sponsor.
4. I grant permission to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to reproduce the winning artwork for the purpose of producing a stamp.
5. I understand and accept that the original artwork Image will be used by the stamp printer, and in doing so, changes may be made to the Artist's original design at the discretion of the stamp printer.
6. I waive all rights to money generated from the sale of the stamp, as produced by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.