2026 Madison Area Children’s Calligraphy Contest

Welcoming the Year of the Horse

 

麦迪逊地区及周边的少年儿童书法爱好者们：

由麦城童心艺术中文学校（MFACS）主办的2026“童心童书·喜迎马年”少儿书法大赛现已正式启动。诚邀热爱书法的孩子们执笔参与，以童心挥毫，让笔墨生花，共迎新春佳节！

继龙年成功举办“童心童画·少儿书画大赛”并收获热烈反响之后，我校今年以“书”传情，继续为喜爱书法的孩子们搭建展示与交流的平台。本次大赛面向校内外所有学生，所有参赛者皆可获得证书和奖励，优秀佳作更有机会参与专题展览并赢取丰厚奖品。

我们期待孩子们在一笔一画中感受书法之美，在创作与分享中收获自信与成长。让我们一同挥别旧岁，喜迎马年，用童心书写新春意，以笔墨传承中华情！

 

 

Young calligraphy enthusiasts in the Madison area and surrounding communities,

 

The 2026 “Children’s Calligraphy · Welcoming the Year of the Horse” Contest, hosted by Madison Fine Arts Chinese School (MFACS), is now officially open for entries! We warmly invite children who love calligraphy to pick up their brushes and pens, express their creativity with youthful spirit, and celebrate the Lunar New Year together.

Following the successful Dragon Year “Children’s Painting & Calligraphy Contest,” which received an enthusiastic response, our school continues this tradition in 2026 by celebrating the art of Chinese calligraphy. We aim to provide a platform for children who enjoy calligraphy to showcase their work and connect with others. The contest is open to both MFACS students and children from the broader community. All participants will receive certificates and recognition, and outstanding entries may be selected for a special exhibition and win exciting prizes.

We look forward to seeing children discover the beauty of calligraphy stroke by stroke, and gain confidence and growth through creating and sharing. As we bid farewell to the old year and welcome the Year of the Horse, let us express the spirit of the New Year with youthful hearts and carry forward the richness of Chinese culture through brush and ink.

 

本次大赛的具体安排与参赛细则如下：

Contest details and entry guidelines are as follows:

 

一、比赛宗旨

为迎接中国农历马年，本届比赛以“喜迎马年”为主题，旨在：

1．促进华裔青少年对中华书法艺术的理解与热爱；

2．推动书法在海外少儿中的普及与交流；

3．鼓励在传统笔墨中融入童真与创意表达。

 

I. Purpose of the Contest

In celebration of the upcoming Lunar Year of the Horse, this year’s contest is themed “Welcoming the Year of the Horse” and aims to:

1. Promote Chinese heritage youth’s understanding and appreciation of Chinese calligraphy; 

2. Encourage broader participation, learning, and exchange of calligraphy among children overseas;

3. Inspire children to blend traditional brushwork with youthful imagination and creativity.

 

二、作品主题

1．作品需围绕“马年、马的精神、新春祝福”展开，可书写经典诗词、吉祥成语、自撰短语等；

2．鼓励在继承传统的基础上，展现个人风格与童趣创意。

 

II. Theme of the Works

1. All entries should center around the theme of “the Year of the Horse, the spirit of the horse, and New Year blessings”. Works may include classical poems, auspicious idioms, or original phrases;

2. While respecting tradition, participants are encouraged to express their personal style and youthful creativity.

 

三、投稿要求

1．初赛每人限投一幅作品，须书写工整、内容积极健康；

2．作品分为软笔书法与硬笔书法两大类；

3．作品纸张应平整洁净，无装裱；

4．初赛作品尺寸不限，赛后可申请退还；

5．决赛作品由主办方提供统一材料，获奖作品不予退还。

 

III. Submission Requirements

1. Each participant may submit one entry for the preliminary round. All works must be neatly written and contain positive, appropriate content;

2. Entries must be submitted in one of the two categories: Soft-brush Calligraphy and Hard-pen Calligraphy;

3. The paper should be clean and flat without mounting.

4. No size limit for preliminary-round entries. Works may be returned upon request after the competition;

5. Final-round entries will be created using standardized materials provided by the organizer. Award-winning works will not be returned.

 

四、投稿方式

1．免报名费，需提交作品原件；

2．校内学生：按学校通知时间，在校内统一提交；

3．校外学生：请添加微信号“童心之家”咨询，备注“书法大赛+学生姓名+年龄” ；

4．所有参赛者需填写《参赛登记表》并贴于作品背面。

 

IV. Submission Method

1. No entry fee. Original work must be submitted;

2. MFACS students: submit at school according to the schedule announced by MFACS;

3. Non-MFACS participants: please add the school’s WeChat ID “童心之家” for inquiries and note “Calligraphy Contest + Student Name + Age”;

4. All participants must complete the Registration Form and attach it to the back of the artwork.

 

五、参赛组别

按年龄分为以下三组，软笔与硬笔类别分别评审：

1．幼童组：4–8周岁

2．中童组：9–12周岁

3．高童组：13–17周岁

 

V. Divisions

Participants will be divided into the following three age groups. Brush and hard-pen entries will be judged separately:

1. Junior Division: Ages 4–8

2. Intermediate Division: Ages 9–12

3. Senior Division: Ages 13–17

 

六、奖项设置

1．各组别分设金奖、银奖、铜奖、优秀奖及最佳人气奖；

2．所有符合投稿要求的参赛者均可获得参赛证书；

3．部分优秀作品将参与学校组织的专题展览。

 

VI. Awards

1. Each division will present Gold, Silver, Bronze, Excellence, and Best Popularity Awards;

2. All participants whose submissions meet the contest requirements will receive a Certificate of Participation;

3. Selected outstanding works will be featured in a special exhibition organized by MFACS.

 

七、重要日期

1．初赛投稿截止：2026年2月1日

2．决赛投稿截止：2026年2月15日

3．获奖结果公布：2026年3月3日

4．颁奖典礼日期：2026年5月17日

 

VII. Important Dates

1. Preliminary Submission Deadline: February 1, 2026

2. Final Submission Deadline: February 15, 2026

3. Results Announcement: March 3, 2026

4. Awards Ceremony: May 17, 2026

 

八、相关说明

1．参赛作品一经投稿，即视为同意主办方在赛事宣传、展览等活动中无偿使用；

2．初赛作品可退还，请在投稿时注明；决赛获奖作品由主办方保留并用于展览，不再退还。

 

VIII. Additional Notes

1. By submitting an entry, participants agree that the organizer may use the work free of charge for competition promotion, exhibitions, and related activities;

2. Preliminary-round works may be returned if requested at the time of submission; final-round award-winning works will be retained by the organizer for exhibition and will not be returned.

 

 

麦城童心艺术中文学校
“童心童书”少儿书法大赛组委会

Madison Fine Arts Chinese School (MFACS)
Organizing Committee of the “Children’s Calligraphy” Contest