Spirited Arts 2026

Our communities are full of different people, cultures and beliefs. We are all different, and all religions are different – but are we all the same too? What helps hold communities together — faith, hope, love, music, sport? And what threatens to tear us apart — racism, hatred or bigotry?

RE teaches us about the wisdom of faiths and worldviews on human equality and helps us challenge negative attitudes. Make a piece of art that shows what faith and hope in our communities mean to you. You can show how racism can be reduced and conquered for a better human race. Use ideas, teachings or quotes from religions and worldviews to inspire your work.

We have asked before: why do animals matter? This year’s theme invites creativity and critical thinking about the ways humans can, or could pray for the whole cosmos, for every animal, for the Earth we share in all its vulnerable splendour. Use of religious story, texts and ideas is strongly encouraged! Religions and ethical belief systems promote kindness and compassion and call upon people to actively avoid doing harm… the Golden Rule demands: treat others how you want to be treated. Can it apply to animals too? We encourage a search for wisdom in texts, stories, traditions and practices from the world’s religions and philosophies. Write a prayer – maybe a very short one – and illustrate the text with beautiful art or tell us in your art why taking action is better than praying. Older students may grapple with diverse opinions on animal welfare and rights. The best work in this theme will be engaged with both religion, faith and prayer and issues about care for every animal.

This theme is being sponsored by the Animal Interfaith Alliance (AIA) and Veganism in Education (VinE). RE Today’s resources on ethical veganism as a religious and non-religious worldview support engagement with this theme and can be found here.

The Bible is the world’s best-selling book. It is full of story, poetry, song, vision and history — brimming with imaginative, profound and mysterious ideas. Choose a text that moves you and make art to show why it is powerful. You can come from a Jewish, Christian or non-religious starting point.

We expect to see work about Jacob, Jonah and Jesus, and we hope to see reflections from Psalms, Prophecies and Gospels. You might explore ideas about God, angels, the people of God, forgiveness, grace, or the Earth from its beginnings to its end. Your art can share your ideas, questions or critical thinking about the Bible.

How do people think of God? What “pictures” of God do we have in our heads? Why do visions of God differ around the world? Atheists, agnostics and theists can all respond to this theme.

Express your ideas with creativity. Who’s God? The great creator? Prayer-answerer? He or she? Above us all or in every human heart? Or is she hiding? Is he not there at all – unreal or imaginary? If you wanted to find out who God is, where would you search? Google or a “god-detector”? Is God on Instagram, TikTok or WhatsApp? Or can we know God by praying, worshipping or helping people in need?

Great work will make good use of religious and/or non-religious quotes and interpretations, showing both imaginative and thoughtful reflection.

Mosque and mandir, church and chapel, gurdwara and synagogue: these are spaces for wonder and awe, ritual and symbol, for believers and visitors. But some people’s sacred space is the beach, the mountains, the riverside. Others find it in the city, among people carrying heavy loads, even in war-torn space – can God be found there?

Create art about a sacred space that matters to you. It might be based on a school trip or a place you personally treasure. Older pupils might explore how sacred spaces connect to texts, beliefs or experiences. Can your work draw on key religious-studies ideas or teachings? Even better.

“And God created human beings, male and female, in the divine image, and it was very good…” What is a human being? A lucky accident? A branch of evolution close to a monkey? A computer with a soul? A ghost trapped in a machine? A child of God?

Many religions teach that our dignity and value come from being God’s children, and many spiritual (but not religious) people agree. If God is our father and mother and we are all God’s children, then what? How is God reflected in humanity? And how should we live if this is true?

Great work on this theme will explore one or more of these questions. Are you God’s child? If not, what? Show your ideas in colour, imagination and creativity.

We happily accept entries from students of all abilities and from various school types, spanning ages 3 to 19. Each school can submit up to 10 entries, so it’s essential to select your top 10.

Entry Types

Students have flexibility in creating their entries:

• Entries can be individual, in pairs, or group efforts.
• It’s also possible for entire classes, year groups, or even the entire school to collaborate on entries.
• In previous years, we’ve been delighted to receive entries from entire community groups.

The judging process, conducted by RE Today Advisers and students, occurs in August, and we announce the winners in the new academic year.

Prizes:

• We intend to award 5 prizes for each theme, totalling 25 prizes. However, we may grant more prizes for specific themes if we receive exceptional entries.
• Entries are categorised by Key Stages for judging, to have at least one winner for each Key Stage when possible.

Prize Categories:

• Individual pupil winners: £20 Amazon voucher.
• Paired winners: Each winner receives a £10 Amazon voucher.
• Group/Class/Year/School winners: Prizes are determined on a case-by-case basis but typically range from £50 to £100 in the form of a voucher or school check for selecting appropriate prizes.
• Please note: we cannot guarantee that international winners will receive a monetary prize, due to increasing restrictions on international spending and from online retailers such as Amazon.

Additional Prizes:

• Exceptional work from 14-19 students may win up to £100.
• Sometimes, we can make slightly larger awards for class or group entries.

School Prizes:

• Schools with winning entries receive prizes as well. Typically, this includes a voucher to spend with RE Today, NATRE, or a copy of a best-selling publication from RE Today.

There are various ways to organise the competition within your school. You should select your top 10 entries in the whole school to submit.

• You can opt for a single theme for your students to work on or let them choose from any of the 6 themes.
• Your 10 entries do not all have to be from the same theme.

What should each entry include?

Each entry should consist of a piece of art, which can be physical, literary, or created using technology. We welcome almost all artistic mediums. Additionally, there should be a corresponding write-up, limited to 400 words. This write-up should connect to the theme, highlight your students’ outstanding work, and provide meaningful commentary. The quality of these commentaries plays a significant role in the judging process.

How do I submit entries?

All entries must be submitted  through our online submission form, must include an photograph.

How can I submit musical, dance, and drama entries?

Musical, dance, and drama entries can be submitted via email.

In this case and including poems a simple image representing your art with a note in the write up stating what exactly the submission is for. This process helps us gather the necessary school and student information, ensuring a smooth competition and allowing us to send out prizes and certificates.

Email Submissions:

For digital entries like videos or music, you can send them digitally to [email protected].
To help us manage the submissions effectively, please ensure that the email includes all file names include the pupil’s name, school name, age, and the theme they’re entering and the reference number from the form submitted. Please also ensure all file names include the pupil’s name, age, and the reference number otherwise your entry will not be entered.

• Many schools build the competition into a scheme/unit of work, allowing time to develop knowledge and ideas around a theme before completing the unit by creating their own entries.
• Other schools have run a RE week or day in their school that concludes with creating work for the competition.
• The competition can be used as a fun end-of-term activity or homework project.
• Use the competition as a great way to raise the profile of RE in your school! Make displays of your pupil’s work, and consider asking other members of the teaching staff, SLT or your head teacher to help do the preliminary judging when choosing your best 10 entries to send in.
• Some schools run exhibitions of all their pupil’s work and open them to parents and the wider community. Some even have attendees select the best 10 entries.