• Now Accepting Entries: The 2026 Willet Art Prize. Submit Your Sport-Inspired Art Today!
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The 2026 Willet Art Prize

A National Competition Inspired by the Quest for Gold

Apply Online Here →

What is the Willet Art Prize?

The Willet Art Prize is a national art competition inviting artists across the United States to create original work inspired by an annual theme. Designed to support today’s leading artists while inspiring the next generation, the prize celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the power of visual storytelling.

For over 128 years, Willet Stained Glass Studios has been a world leader in capturing light, movement, and legacy. Now, we are looking for artists who can capture the energy, determination, and emotion of sport.

Whether you are a painter, sculptor, digital artist, or glass artisan, this is your opportunity to push your creative limits and explore new artistic possibilities.

Apply Online Here →
Willet Art Prize poster featuring a stained glass design, announcing a national art competition inspired by the theme "Quest for Gold," with a $10,000 prize pool, including details on prizes and submission guidelines, hosted by Willet Stained Glass Studios.

2026 Theme: Quest for Gold

This year’s competition invites artists to explore the essence of athletic excellence and global unity.

“Quest for Gold” is about more than competition—it’s about movement, strength, determination, and the emotional journey behind every pursuit of greatness. From moments of triumph to the discipline behind the scenes, your work should reflect the passion and unity that sport brings to the world stage.

Why Enter the Willet Art Prize?

  • Gain national exposure for your work
  • Compete with talented artists across the U.S.
  • Push your creative boundaries
  • Explore new artistic directions and mediums
  • Be part of a legacy of craftsmanship and innovation

What Can You Submit?

Artists may submit one original piece in any medium, including:

Painting
Digital Art
Sculpture
Glass
Mixed Media

Your work should reflect the competition theme and demonstrate originality and strong artistic vision.

Call for Artists: Submit Sport-Inspired Art to the 2026 Willet Prize

Prize Pool

$10,000

1st Prize

$7,000

2nd Prize

$2,000

3rd Prize

$1,000

How to Enter

The application window is entirely online. Please ensure your submission is uploaded between the dates listed below.

Submissions open April 30th

Final deadline for all entries August 31st

Apply Online Here →
Artists examining and working on stained glass panels featuring vibrant designs and religious themes, highlighting craftsmanship relevant to the Willet Art Prize competition.

The Selection Process

  • Public Vote: Our community weighs in on their favorite submissions.
  • Finalists Selected: A narrowed-down group of top talent moves forward.
  • Judges Award Winners: Our expert panel selects the final three winners based on technique and thematic execution.
Apply Online Here →

Judging Panel

The Willet Art Prize is evaluated by a distinguished panel of leaders across art, design, academia, and culture. Each year, the panel is carefully curated to ensure diverse perspectives and expert evaluation.

The panel includes:

  • Professional artists with national and international recognition
  • University professors and academic leaders
  • Museum curators and gallery directors
  • Media and cultural influencers
  • Elite athletes and Olympians
  • Design experts and industry leaders
  • Leadership with expertise in stained glass craftsmanship
Apply Online Here →
Ice skater performing a graceful pose and skier in action, both surrounded by dynamic, colorful swirls, representing the theme of sport and human achievement for the Willet Art Prize.

Judging Panel

The Willet Art Prize is evaluated by a distinguished panel of leaders across art, design, academia, and culture. Each year, the panel is carefully curated to ensure diverse perspectives and expert evaluation.

Judges

Scott Parsons, Augustana University art professor, Willet Art Prize judge.

Scott Parsons

Professor of Art, Augustana University

Brent Watts, Chief Creative Officer and Founder of Struck, Willet Art Prize judge.

Brent Watts

Chief Creative Officer, Founder of Struck

Kelly Salchow MacArthur, graphic design professor, judging the 2026 Willet Art Prize.

Kelly Salchow MacArthur

Professor of Graphic Design

Tristan Gale

American Skeleton Racer, Olympic Champion

Apply Online Here →

What Judges Are Looking For

Submissions will be evaluated based on:

Creativity & Originality

A unique and compelling artistic voice

Interpretation of the Theme

A strong connection to sport and human achievement

Suitability for Stained Glass

Thoughtful structure and use of color

Artistic Composition & Design

Balance, color, form, and visual impact

Emotional & Cultural Impact

The ability to inspire and connect with a broad audience

Apply Online Here →

Beyond the Prize: Commission Opportunities

Even if your artwork is not selected as a winning entry, there is still an opportunity to be recognized.

By entering the competition, you grant Willet Stained Glass Studios a non-exclusive, worldwide license to use your submitted artwork for display, promotion, and potential production.

You will retain full ownership and copyright of your work.

Selected designs may be developed into physical stained glass pieces. If your design is chosen for production and sale, you may be eligible to receive a per-sale commission for up to three years.

This means your work has the potential to move beyond the competition into real-world installations—offering both exposure and ongoing earning potential.

Important Dates

April 30, 2026

Submissions officially open.

August 31, 2026

Final deadline for all entries.

September 2026

Public voting and judging phase.

October 2026

Winners announced.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. While we are a stained glass studio, artwork may be submitted in any medium. We encourage diversity in materials and styles.

This is a national competition open to all artists residing in the United States.

All entries should be inspired by the “Spirit of the Sport”—focusing on themes of athleticism, effort, and the power of movement.

Each artist may submit one original entry to the competition.

No, there is no fee to enter the Willet Art Prize.

Any original artwork in mediums such as painting, digital art, sculpture, or glass.

It refers to capturing movement, strength, determination, and the human pursuit of excellence.

Yes, selected artworks may still be produced, with potential commission opportunities.

Apply Online Here →

Contact Us

Need more information or having trouble with your application? Our committee is ready to assist.

Scott Parsons

Position: Professor of Art, Augustana University
Website: scottparsons.art

Bio:

Scott Parsons is an international award-winning artist and professor of art. His art-in-architecture portfolio includes percent-for-art and private commissions in terrazzo, mosaic and art glass for churches, museums, airports, hospitals, research facilities, university buildings and transportation centers across the United States and Canada. Scott’s work is reviewed in more than 100 publications, including Architectural Record, Sculpture, Art in America, and Stained Glass Quarterly. His work has received numerous awards, including from Faith & Form, CODAworx, and the National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association.

FAQs:

Not too long ago I was listening to the Tom Petty station on SiriusXM, and he was recorded talking about what makes for a great song, and I leaned in to listen, and he said, “You’ve got to believe it.” That’s an excellent way to think about visual art too. I tell my students on day one in Drawing I that you make art with your hands (skill), head (ideas and imagination), and then I point to your heart. It has to have all three. You have to believe in what you are doing and the image has to convince the viewer you do as well. So a good work does all that well, an exceptional work transports you. You’re drawn out of the ordinary, and into something extraordinary. And you come back to your everyday changed, sometimes for forever. That’s the difference.

Alex Kanevsky, a great painter, answered this well, you don’t have to tell a story, that’s not, at least for him, the job of the painter. Your job is to look at the world with empathy and wonder. And to add onto that idea of what distinguishes great art… well, boring art doesn’t have mystery, it tells you too much. I am not of the school of deskilling. I am of the school of urgency, of vivid mark-making, and exposed soul-searching, and art that invites you along for a bit of that journey.

Another quick story, a while ago I was watching Rick Beato’s YouTube interview with Sting and his guitarist Dominic Miller. Sting was talking about how he had the best music teachers ever. And then he named Bach. It’s the same again in the visual arts. We have an amazing archive of teachers from Paleolithic cave walls to Rembrandt, to children’s drawings. Be curious and be insatiable. Love many kinds of art. Don’t worry too much about a style. See what sticks in your gut, that will come through. You don’t need to invent anything.

Brent Watts

Position: Chief Creative Officer, Founder of Struck

Bio:

Brent is the Chief Creative Officer and founder of Struck, a creative agency he launched in Hollywood over three decades years ago, known for pushing the boundaries of brand storytelling and experience design. With a passion for meaningful narrative, provocative design and decades of experience collaborating with major studios—Disney, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, Warner Bros., Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, and more—Brent has been at the forefront of shaping the creative direction of globally beloved properties by building strong strategic platforms. From SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer to Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, How To Train Your Dragon, The Cat in the Hat, and Harry Potter, Brent’s work has consistently brought depth, imagination, and brand longevity to iconic properties. His business acumen weaves retail strategies with creative firepower that transcends markets.

Brent’s latest ventures include an original preschool series launching in Europe and a holiday-themed animated feature film debuting internationally in 2025—further proof of his evolving vision and ability to lead cross-platform creative development at the highest level.

As a multi-disciplinary creative, Brent’s influence spans beyond entertainment. He’s developed brand identity systems, retail and spatial environments, digital platforms, and licensing programs for brands like Pinterest, McDonald’s, Mattel, Nike, Westfield, DreamWorks, Warner Bros. Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Imagineering, The Disney Animation Studios and The Walt Disney Family Museum.

He also has designed custom furniture for his entertainment and retail clients and designed the medals and torch for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City which is now apart of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne Switzerland.

Brent continues to push creative boundaries—combining design, narrative, and strategic brand thinking—to shape experiences that resonate across generations.

FAQs:

Well crafted art creates an emotional connection. It moves beyond beauty or technique and leaves the viewer thinking, feeling, or seeing the world differently. The best work has both originality and purpose.

Technical skill gives an artist the tools to communicate, but creativity and storytelling give the work its soul. The strongest artists develop their craft while maintaining the courage to express an original point of view.

Art helps each generation understand where it came from and imagine where it might go. It preserves culture, challenges assumptions, and gives young people permission to dream beyond what already exists. I can’t remember who said it, but Nature is God’s art and Art is Man’s Nature.

I am drawn to artwork that combines strong ideas, thoughtful craftsmanship, and a sense of wonder. I especially appreciate work that transforms a space, tells a meaningful story, and invites people to experience it rather than simply observe it.

I have always been inspired by artists and designers who blur the boundaries between art, architecture, storytelling, and experience. The Bauhaus movement has been particularly influential because of its belief that creativity, craftsmanship, and function should work together.

Develop your own voice and remain curious. Study your craft, welcome collaboration, and do not be afraid to take creative risks. A meaningful career is built through persistence, relationships, and the willingness to keep creating—even when the path is uncertain. In fact, I believe uncertainty is a great way to keep exploring and push your work.

Kelly Salchow MacArthur, graphic design professor, judging the 2026 Willet Art Prize.

Kelly Salchow MacArthur

Current Title & Organization

  • Professor of Graphic Design, Michigan State University
  • 2-time USA Olympic Rower (2000 + 2004)
  • 2-time Olympian Artist (2020 + 2024)
  • Member, International Olympic Committee’s Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission

Bio:

Kelly Salchow MacArthur is a Professor of Graphic Design at Michigan State University (MSU), a 2-time Olympic rower, a 2-time Olympian Artist, a Member of the IOC’s Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission, and the Design & Academic Director of the US Pierre de Coubertin Committee. She was an Honorary Visiting Researcher in University College Cork’s School of Education January–June 2026. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design with Honors from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design Magna Cum Laude from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning. Before joining the faculty at MSU, she taught at Kansas City Art Institute, RISD and The College of New Jersey.

Kelly’s graphic design practice and creative research focus on environmental awareness, advocacy, and action. Her work has been disseminated internationally through exhibition, design awards, conference, and publication, and is included in several permanent collections. She is President Emerita of the international design organization, United Designs Alliance and AIGA Detroit. She is a former member of the UCDA Design Educator’s Advisory Committee, and CAA’s Committee on Intellectual Property. Kelly initiated the AIGA Get Out The Vote: Empowering the Women’s Vote national poster initiative to commemorate 100 years of the women’s vote in 2020. She is a recipient of MSU’s Distinguished Partnership Award for Community-Engaged Service for her green mapping projects with Monroe County.

Longer bio: https://www.elevatedesign.org/contact

FAQs:

An exceptional work of art can surprise, engross, inform and inspire. The best work has layers of complexity (even if the piece initially appears to be simple) that are found over time, and sometimes only discovered after repeated viewings/experiences.

Art can communicate in ways that other forms cannot. It can simultaneously convey big ideas and minute details, and connect with someone on a deeply personal, emotional, and intellectual level. Future generations can harness the power of art for impact and progress.

I am especially drawn to work that is informed by nature, advocates for nature, and/or is created in harmony with nature. I have found endless inspiration, logic, strength, and delicacy in the natural environment, which continues to catalyze the evolution of my own creative process.

Do what makes you happy, which will generate and maintain your momentum to create. Ask yourself how you can contribute to society through your creative practice. Create in ways that will nourish both people and the planet.

I am thrilled to serve as a judge for the Willet Art Prize, and am looking forward to the entire immersive experience in Winona. I am anticipating learning more about Willet Stained Glass Studios and the work accomplished there, and am ready to be impressed and inspired by the international artist submissions that will bridge art and sport in unexpected ways.

Tristan Gale

Tristan Gale is an American skeleton racer, Olympic champion, coach, artist, and advocate for the next generation of athletes. Born August 10, 1980, in Ruidoso, New Mexico, Tristan grew up in the Land of Enchantment before eventually making her way to Salt Lake City, Utah, where she discovered skeleton racing.

From New Mexico to Olympic Gold

At the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Tristan made history as the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in skeleton, when the women’s event made its Olympic debut. Racing on a familiar home track, she put her knowledge of the course to work and delivered a performance that earned her a place in Olympic history.

Her victory also made Tristan the only Winter Olympic gold medalist from New Mexico—a distinction she proudly carries with her.

Following her Olympic triumph, Tristan continued competing internationally, collecting additional World Cup victories and strong finishes at World Championships before transitioning from athlete to coach in 2006.

From Competitor to Coach

Tristan’s passion for skeleton didn’t stop when her racing career did. She moved into coaching, serving as head coach for both Italy and France. At the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, she made history again as the only female head coach representing the entire French Olympic Committee.

Her coaching career gave her the opportunity to share the lessons she had learned as an elite athlete while helping develop athletes and grow the sport she loves.

Life Beyond the Track

Tristan is also an accomplished artist. In 2013, she completed her BFA at the University of Nevada, with a minor in Geology. Her preferred medium is watercolor—a creative outlet that offers a very different pace from hurtling headfirst down an icy track at Olympic speeds.

Today, Tristan continues to give back to the sport as a member of the Board of Directors for USA Bobsled and Skeleton. She is passionate about supporting young athletes and helping create opportunities for the next generation of skeleton racers.

Family, Service & Life on the Move

Tristan’s life away from sport has been just as dynamic. Her husband is a retired Marine Corps veteran, and during his military career, Tristan was an active-duty military spouse for more than 18 years. Together, they moved eight times, with Japan—where they spent five years—holding a special place in her heart.

Tristan is also a proud mom of two children, who share her love of staying active and playing sports. While Olympic competition, coaching, and a military lifestyle have all brought their own challenges, Tristan says becoming a mother has been the greatest challenge—and greatest adventure—of her life to date.

From Olympic champion to coach, artist, military spouse, board member, and mom, Tristan’s journey is anything but ordinary. Her story is a testament to the idea that life after the finish line can be just as exciting as the race itself.