2027 Art & Songwriting Contest
2027 THEME ANNOUNCED!
CONTEST RULES:
For both the art and songwriting competition, we ask students to explore the theme through an original work of art or song. Students may use the images and contest description as inspiration in creating their work, or can interpret the theme in their own unique way. All high school juniors and seniors in the state of Louisiana are eligible to apply. There is no GPA requirement, and it is not required that the student study art or music to be eligible for a scholarship award. Please note, the use of AI or artificial intelligence is not permitted, the use of any AI filters, prompts or generators will lead to immediate disqualification.
VISUAL ART CONTEST
All high school juniors and seniors in the state of Louisiana are eligible to apply. Contest judges will select 10 finalists (5 juniors/5 seniors) to share $19,000 in college scholarships. Following the Scholarship Awards Luncheon, the winning entries will tour on exhibition across Louisiana.
Individual visual artworks are judged on the following criteria:
- Concept/Design: Does the artwork address the theme in a clear and inventive way? (1/3 score)
- Technical Skill: Does the artwork show an understanding of visual art principles such as use of color, shading, light, and form? (1/3 score)
- Creativity: Does the artwork showcase an original point of view? Does it provide a fresh perspective on the theme? (1/3 score)
Please click here to view the 2027 Visual Art Contest Terms & Conditions.
All high school juniors and seniors in the state of Louisiana are eligible to apply. A selection of three finalists will share $6,000 in college scholarships. Following the Scholarship Awards Luncheon the first-place winner will have the opportunity to perform during the Trombone Shorty Foundation’s annual fundraiser, Shorty Fest in May 2027, as well as additional opportunities in partnership with the Loyola University’s College of Music and Media.
Song submissions are judged on the following criteria:
- Structure and Composition: Does the song have clearly identifiable sections (verse, chorus, etc)? Is the song between 2-5 minutes? Does the song have a clear theme and cohesive structure? Does the music have an identifiable rhyme scheme or pattern? (1/3 score)
- Melody: Does the song have continuity and coherence in melody, as well as tone and style? Does the song offer something unique, different, and totally original? Does the music keep the listener interested and engaged? (1/3 score)
- Lyrics: Are the lyrics creative and original? Do they inspire an emotional or visceral reaction from the listener? Do the music and lyrics fit together in a cohesive way? (1/3 score)
Please click here to view the 2027 Songwriting Terms & Conditions.
Congratulations to our 2026 Songwriting Contest Winners!
1st Place Songwriter - $3,000
John Zaffuto
Senior
New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, New Orleans
“Shoehill (Love and Hate in Louisiana)”
2nd Place Senior - $2,000
Ash Nelson
Senior
Neville High School, Monroe
"Across the Bayou There's a Lighthouse"
3rd Place Songwriter - $1,000
Dajah Lomas
Senior
East Ascension High School, Gonzales
"First Love"
2027 Art & Songwriting Contest Theme: Rising Waters, Enduring Roots: 100 Years after the 1927 Flood
Where the whoosh and rumble of floodwaters once rolled across Louisiana’s bayous and churches, stories of survival, loss, and unbreakable spirit still echo. On the 100th anniversary of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, Louisiana’s young artists and songwriters are invited to explore the power of water, the trauma and resilience born from natural disasters, and the deep ties between family, culture, and place— inspired by George Rodrigue’s Cajun roots and the powerful eyewitness account of his mother, Marie Rodrigue.
George frequently recounted her story: “I was sitting in church when I suddenly heard a loud whoosh and deep rumbling. I stepped outside and saw the floodwaters rolling straight toward me. In terror I turned and ran, shouting that the water was coming.” The trauma stayed with her; for the rest of her life she sandbagged her house ahead of every rain.
This intimate family memory, combined with Rodrigue’s artworks that grapple with bayous, high water, and endurance—such as the early Cajun painting High Water on Whiskey Bay and Blue Dog pieces like Blue Water Rising and We Will Rise Again —captures the dual soul of water: beautiful yet perilous, life-giving and destructive. The Blue Dog often appears as a watchful guardian amid the waters, embodying resilience in the face of nature’s power.
Just as George Rodrigue drew from these experiences and Louisiana’s landscapes to reveal deeper truths about Cajun life and survival, students are challenged to use their creativity to uncover and express what rises when waters fall—personal or family flood stories, cultural memory, environmental lessons, hope amid destruction, or the quiet strength of sandbagging and rebuilding. Let Marie’s vivid memory of the “whoosh and rumbling” waters, the instinct to run and protect, and Rodrigue’s high-water imagery inspire your art and songs. What do you remember? What do you rebuild? How can water, contrast, color, texture, or melody convey both the rumble of rising danger and the enduring roots of Louisiana?
Express the dual nature of the flood—destruction and renewal—through your creativity. Show us the high water and the high spirit of Louisiana.
High Water on Whiskey Bay
1975
40 x 30 inches
Oil on canvas
We Will Rise Again
2005
24 x 18 inches
Silkscreen Print
About the Art Contest
The Annual Scholarship Art Contest is a unique way for us to honor the legacy of George Rodrigue while celebrating the talent and creativity of Louisiana high school students. Since the first Art Contest in 2010, GRFA has awarded over $625,000 in college scholarships through this program, providing much-needed financial support for young people pursuing higher education.
This visual arts competition encourages individual participation in the arts and is open to all Louisiana high school juniors and seniors, regardless of grade point average or intended college major. Students from public, private, charter, and home schools are invited to enter.
In 2020, the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts, in partnership with the Trombone Shorty Foundation, expanded its Annual Scholarship Art Contest to include a Scholarship Songwriting Contest, providing a platform for both visual artists and songwriters across Louisiana to showcase their work.
About the Trombone Shorty Foundation
The Trombone Shorty Foundation’s mission is to inspire the next generation of musically talented opportunity youth through music education, instruction, mentorship, and performance. By honoring the New Orleans tradition of “playing it forward” from the earliest jazz legends onward, the foundation seeks to preserve and perpetuate the musical heritage of a city where music is everything. Experienced and professional teachers, tutors, and mentors support every student in the pursuit of a well-rounded understanding of New Orleans’ musical traditions, experience in music performance, reading, writing, and now, even business, and the social and academic skills they need to make noise wherever they go – in music and in life.
www.tromboneshortyfoundation.org
Sponsored By
Impact of Our Program
$680,000
in scholarships awarded
7,800
students participated
