judged by Carol Marine
Winners to be announced on June 8, 2025
Anyone can Enter

The DPW Monthly Contest is open to everyone - you do not need to be a DPW member. You do however, have to be registered (free, quick, and easy), if you are not already, and signed in.

There is a fee for each work of art you enter of $10 for DPW members and $14 for non-members. You may enter as many works of art as you wish and may enter a given work of art in as many DPW contests you would like.

You may enter any work that is 2-D, original (yours), natural media (no digital prints or giclees) fine art. The work can be sold and does not have to still be in your possession. All you need to enter is a high quality image of your artwork at least 600 pixels tall or wide.

Read the DPW Contest Rules and FAQ
Win Cash Prizes!

1st prize $300
2nd prize $150
3rd prize $75

* read about the winners' tax responsibility in our contest FAQ (see link above)

At the end of each month, a new contest will begin, and the previous one will be judged for a period of one week.

At the end of judging, the three cash prizes will be awarded and the prize money will be directly deposited into each winner's PayPal account. Because of this, when you register, please be sure to use your email address linked to your PayPal account. You can change your email address on your Account Info page.
Win a Free Month as a Featured Artist!

In addition to the three cash prizes, the top 15 artists, including the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will receive one month membership free and one month as a featured artist.

Best of all, there is no limit to how often or many times an artist may win a monthly featured artist slot!

Being a Featured Artist will put your work up at the top of our What's New front page to be seen by over 11,000 daily visitors and at the top of our Daily Email that goes out to over 4,200 subscribers every day!

The month featured will begin when the prizes are announced and will end when the next contest's prizes are announced. You can read more about being a featured artist here.

 

Previous Contests (no longer open)


April 2025    (76 entries)  

judged by Thomas O'Brien
Winners to be announced on May 8, 2025
March 2025    (63 entries)  

judged by Jan Hutchinson
February 2025    (74 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
January 2025    (79 entries)  

judged by Alan Chaney
December 2024    (70 entries)  

judged by Caroline Canessa
November 2024    (85 entries)  

judged by June Rollins
October 2024    (73 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
September 2024    (74 entries)  

judged by Sandra Willard
August 2024    (81 entries)  

July 2024    (68 entries)  

judged by Carol Betker
June 2024    (66 entries)  

judged by Jani Freimann
May 2024    (74 entries)  

April 2024    (67 entries)  

judged by Kim Ray
March 2024    (78 entries)  

judged by Cheryl Plautz
February 2024    (61 entries)  

judged by Pamela Robins
January 2024    (92 entries)  

December 2023    (83 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
November 2023    (69 entries)  

judged by Jani Freimann
October 2023    (80 entries)  

judged by Danny Folkman
September 2023    (70 entries)  

judged by Jon B. Paulsen
August 2023    (83 entries)  

judged by Debra Howard
July 2023    (63 entries)  

June 2023    (65 entries)  

judged by Alona M
May 2023    (69 entries)  

judged by Sheila Tysdal
April 2023    (73 entries)  

judged by Robin Peterson
March 2023    (74 entries)  

judged by Marcia Hodges
February 2023    (95 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
January 2023    (70 entries)  

December 2022    (100 entries)  

judged by Jan Small
November 2022    (70 entries)  

judged by April Knox
October 2022    (87 entries)  

judged by Donna Theresa
September 2022    (72 entries)  

judged by Lydia Gatzow
August 2022    (82 entries)  

judged by Stephanie Brown
July 2022    (70 entries)  

judged by Robin Weiss
June 2022    (61 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
May 2022    (69 entries)  

judged by Jani Freimann
April 2022    (65 entries)  

judged by Allison Doke
March 2022    (90 entries)  

judged by Natalia Clarke
February 2022    (75 entries)  

judged by Kate Battle
January 2022    (76 entries)  

judged by Arena Shawn
December 2021    (78 entries)  

judged by Patty Voje
November 2021    (87 entries)  

judged by M. Gilmour
October 2021    (86 entries)  

judged by Libby Anderson
September 2021    (65 entries)  

judged by Abbey Ryan
August 2021    (76 entries)  

July 2021    (74 entries)  

June 2021    (74 entries)  

judged by Patrick Welsh
May 2021    (72 entries)  

judged by Julia Kamenskikh
April 2021    (107 entries)  

judged by Brian Burt
March 2021    (85 entries)  

judged by Charles Thomas
February 2021    (82 entries)  

judged by Ans Debije
January 2021    (101 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
December 2020    (85 entries)  

judged by Beverly Boren
November 2020    (75 entries)  

judged by Ned Mueller
October 2020    (102 entries)  

September 2020    (95 entries)  

judged by Michelle chen
August 2020    (88 entries)  

judged by Ans Debije
July 2020    (85 entries)  

judged by Dawn Johnston
June 2020    (84 entries)  

judged by Tracy Male
May 2020    (79 entries)  

judged by Kathy Weber
April 2020    (86 entries)  

judged by Oleksii Movchun
March 2020    (78 entries)  

judged by Nancy Medina
February 2020    (77 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
January 2020    (76 entries)  

judged by Ria Hills
December 2019    (85 entries)  

judged by Kelly Strope
November 2019    (71 entries)  

judged by Shari Buelt
October 2019    (82 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
September 2019    (79 entries)  

judged by Cathleen Rehfeld
August 2019    (89 entries)  

judged by Teddi Parker
July 2019    (69 entries)  

judged by Yael Maimon
June 2019    (60 entries)  

judged by Jacinthe Rivard
May 2019    (89 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
April 2019    (59 entries)  

judged by Valorie Sams
March 2019    (79 entries)  

judged by TaiMeng Lim
February 2019    (74 entries)  

January 2019    (79 entries)  

December 2018    (79 entries)  

judged by Laurel Daniel
November 2018    (74 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
October 2018    (89 entries)  

judged by Tibor Nagy
September 2018    (75 entries)  

judged by Ester Wilson
August 2018    (89 entries)  

judged by Diane Hoeptner
July 2018    (80 entries)  

judged by Taryn Day
June 2018    (75 entries)  

judged by Raymond Logan
May 2018    (88 entries)  

April 2018    (79 entries)  

judged by Kaethe Bealer
March 2018    (91 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
February 2018    (83 entries)  

judged by Garry Kravit
January 2018    (82 entries)  

judged by Elena Katsyura
December 2017    (80 entries)  

judged by Naomi Gray
November 2017    (93 entries)  

judged by Ski Holm
October 2017    (90 entries)  

judged by Rita Curtis
September 2017    (78 entries)  

judged by Wendy Brayton
August 2017    (114 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
July 2017    (96 entries)  

June 2017    (88 entries)  

judged by Diane Mannion
May 2017    (92 entries)  

judged by John Larriva
April 2017    (91 entries)  

judged by Liz Balkwill
March 2017    (106 entries)  

judged by Chris Long
February 2017    (97 entries)  

judged by Alix Baker
January 2017    (99 entries)  

judged by Mostafa Keyhani
December 2016    (110 entries)  

November 2016    (93 entries)  

judged by Claire Mcall
October 2016    (108 entries)  

judged by Diane Hoeptner
September 2016    (97 entries)  

judged by Kara K. Bigda
August 2016    (106 entries)  

judged by Rob Rey
July 2016    (113 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
June 2016    (94 entries)  

judged by Victor Tristante
May 2016    (104 entries)  

judged by Bob Kimball
April 2016    (106 entries)  

judged by Patty Voje
March 2016    (116 entries)  

judged by Bill Bailey
February 2016    (121 entries)  

January 2016    (107 entries)  

judged by Roger Åkesson
December 2015    (111 entries)  

judged by Faith Te
November 2015    (118 entries)  

judged by David Lloyd
October 2015    (102 entries)  

judged by Jacqueline Gnott
September 2015    (105 entries)  

judged by Pamela Hamilton
August 2015    (128 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
July 2015    (118 entries)  

June 2015    (163 entries)  

judged by Kathy Weber
May 2015    (100 entries)  

judged by Monique Straub
April 2015    (82 entries)  

judged by Jonathan Aller
March 2015    (113 entries)  

judged by Liz Wiltzen
February 2015    (116 entries)  

judged by Leslie Saeta
January 2015    (131 entries)  

judged by Carolee Clark
December 2014    (107 entries)  

judged by Nora Bergman
November 2014    (106 entries)  

judged by Brenda York
October 2014    (95 entries)  

judged by Kara Bigda
September 2014    (119 entries)  

judged by Rita Kirkman
August 2014    (105 entries)  

judged by Claudia Hammer
July 2014    (116 entries)  

judged by Abbey Ryan
June 2014    (126 entries)  

judged by Brian Burt
May 2014    (113 entries)  

judged by Raymond Logan
April 2014    (113 entries)  

judged by David Morris
March 2014    (116 entries)  

judged by Cathleen Rehfeld
February 2014    (149 entries)  

judged by Michael Naples
January 2014    (144 entries)  

judged by Sarah Sedwick
December 2013    (146 entries)  

judged by James Coulter
November 2013    (135 entries)  

October 2013    (160 entries)  

judged by Laurel Daniel
September 2013    (189 entries)  

judged by Taryn Day
August 2013    (282 entries)  

judged by Carol Marine
The DPW Monthly Contest
Rules and FAQ
Who can enter? Do I have to be a DPW member?
Anyone can enter - you do not need to be a DPW member! You do however, have to be registered (free, quick, and easy), if you are not already, and signed in.

Be sure to register using the email address you use for your PayPal account or you will not receive the prize money, if you win. You can change your email address on your Account Info page.
Is there an entry fee?
Yes. There is a fee for each work of art you enter of $10 for DPW members and $14 for non-members.

We can only accept payment through PayPal, so you have to have a PayPal account to enter.
What can I win?
Each and every month, you can win one of three cash prizes and be one of the 15 artists selected to be a Featured DPW Artist for one month!

Three cash prizes:

1st prize $300
2nd prize $150
3rd prize $75

One Month free as a Featured Artist!

In addition, the top 15 artists, including the first three cash prize winners, will be featured for one month free!

Note: In addition to the three cash prize winners, more than 12 Judge's Picks may be chosen if any are already featured artists. Our goal is that a minimum of 15 previously non-featured artist will be chosen and featured for a month after each contest. So, for example, if 4 of the prize winners and/or the Judge's Picks are already featured, then there will be a total of 16 Judge's Picks.
Who is responsible for paying taxes on the prize money?
It is the individual winner's responsibility to declare and pay taxes on any contest cash prizes they are awarded.
How do I enter?
You enter by going to the current contest page and upload a high quality image of your artwork. You do not send the artwork to us.
How often can I wn?
There is no limit to how often you can be picked for one of the featured artist slots, however, you can only win a cash prize once every 6 months.

Additionally, once a work of art wins a place prize (1st, 2nd, or 3rd), you cannot enter it in another DPW Contest.

Finally, only one entry per artist can win a place or a Judge's Pick per contest.
What can I enter?
Only Natural Media

You can enter any 2-D natural media, original fine work of art created by you. Reproductions, digital or otherwise, are not allowed. Giclees are not allowed.

Artwork and Image Size

There is no limit to the size of the actual work of art, however you must upload a high quality image of it, at least 600 pixels tall or wide.

Watermarks

If you include a watermark, please know that it may interfer with the judges appreciation of your artwork and may reduce your chance of winning. So, if you include a watermark, make it as subtle and small as possible!

Subject Matter

Subject matter is not limited. Nudes are welcomed, however they cannot be explicitly sexual in nature. We reserve the right to remove any entry we consider inappropriate and will fully refund your entry fee.
How often can I enter?
There is no limit. You can enter as many works of art you want in each contest and enter as many contests as you wish.
What if I don't have the artwork anymore, for example if it is sold?
You don't need to have the artwork you enter in your posession. All you need is a high quality image of your artwork to be able to submit. If your painting is sold, then congratulations!
What do I get if I win a month as a Featured Artist?
As a featured artist you will be on our Featured Artist page and, when you post work to DPW, it will appear with the work of our other featured artists, at the top of our What's New front page to be seen by over 11,000 unique visitors a day, and at the top of our Daily Email, which goes out to over 4,200 subscribers each day. You can read more about being a featured artist here.
What is the timeline of a DPW Monthly Contest?
Each contest will begin and be open for submissions at midnight (CST) in the morning on the first of each month. You will be able to submit to that month's contest until midnight on the last day of the month, after which the contest will be in judging for one week and the next month's contest will begin. Winners will be notified by email at the end of the judging week and will be listed on the contest page, as well.

The cash awards will be paid when judging ends. Please keep in mind that the winner is responsible for paying any and all taxes. Read more about it in the FAQ here.
How is the month I am featured free?
If you are not yet a Member

If you win one of the 15 featured artists slots and are not a DPW member already, you will automatically be set up as a featured member when judging ends one week after the end of the contest and you will not be charged for that free month of membership.

If you do not want to continue your membership past that month, do nothing and it will end automatically. You will not be automatically charged! In the week before your free month ends, you will receive a reminder email. If you do want to continue your membership then you can do so by clicking a link in the email or the "Join Us!" link at the top of the site and following the instructions to begin paying for the $12.95 a month membership fee once your free month has ended.

If you are already a Member

If you are already a member when you win a featured artist slot, you will get your next month free, beginning at the end of your current billing cycle.
How do I receive the Award Money, if I win?
All award money will be paid by DPW directly into your PayPal account. Unfortunately we cannot make any exceptions, so you have to have a PayPal account to win. You will not be charged any PayPal fees to receive the award, DPW will pay all fees.
Who is judging?
Each month we will have a different guest judge that we invite. Their judgement is the last word with no input from us!
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