Beginning in 2025, the Riverside County Law Library has held an annual art contest to celebrate Law Day (May 1st) and promote civic awareness amongst high school students. The 2026 Law Day theme from the American Bar Association is, "The Rule of Law and the American Dream." Read more at the ABA's website.
Stay tuned for the opening of the 2026 contest and subscribe to updates through our monthly newsletter.
Rules
- This contest is open to all current Riverside County high school student (grades 9-12). One submission per student.
- Submissions must take inspiration from this year’s Law Day theme
- Art must be original pieces of work. Commissioned pieces, stock images, copyrighted work, AI-generated art, etc. will NOT be accepted.
- Artwork must be in a visual medium (painting, collage, photography, video, animation, digital art, line art, ceramics, sculpture, textile, etc.)
- Artists are responsible for submitting their art in a displayable format (prints, file formats, etc.)
Prizes and Exhibit Details
- Entries will be displayed at an art exhibition at the Victor Miceli Law Library in downtown Riverside. All entrants will receive a certificate of participation and winners will receive a cash prize (to be announced).
Judging Criteria
A panel of judges will independently evaluate submissions following a scoring rubric. Each piece of art will be scored in 4 categories. Each score will then be tallied together to give each work a rating out of 80. Totals from each judge will be averaged together to give each work a final score. The importance of each category is represented by the total number of points that can be earned. The rubric is as follows:
- Creativity/Originality (30) – Does the artwork stand out from other entries? Does it embody the artist’s unique voice and perspective? How developed is the overall message?
- Adherence to Theme (20) – Does the artwork take inspiration from the 2025 Law Day theme? Does that inspiration clearly show through the art?
- Technical Skill (20) – Does the artist show mastery over their medium of choice? Are their choices deliberate and well executed?
- Overall Visual and Emotional Impact (10) – How much does the art solicit critical thought and an emotional response from audiences? Is the piece well composed and visually pleasing?
About Law Day
“Law Day, held annually on May 1, is a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. Law Day provides an opportunity to understand how law and the legal process protect our liberty, strive to achieve justice, and contribute to the freedoms that all Americans share.” – American Bar Association. Read more about Law Day from the ABA and the United States Courts.
