2026 Zozobra Art Contest is now closed! Thank you to all the contestants and good luck!

THE OFFICIAL 2026 ZOZOBRA ART CONTEST

How To Submit Your Artwork: online submissions are preferred, and your work may be considered for the poster, t-shirt or both.

BUT REMEMBER TO USE THIS THE 102nd THEME AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY THEME. ZOZOBRA as King, Gloomies as Red Coats. Fire Spirit and Torchbearers as American Patriots.

Artwork must be original and artist-created. All submissions will be reviewed for originality, and AI-generated artwork will not be accepted as valid entries.

2026 Official Zozobra 102 Poster

• Open to all artists and all ages
• Size requirement: artwork must scale to 24″ wide x 36″ high
• Image must be primarily of Zozobra
• Submission deadline: Friday, January 30, 2026, at 5 p.m.

Submit your artwork and required entry form online below.

2026 Official Zozobra 102 T-Shirt

Submit your artwork and required entry form online below.

2026 Official Zozobra 102 Youth Poster

Submit your artwork and rthe equired entry form online below

2026 Official Zozobra 102 Youth T-Shirt

Submit your artwork and the required entry form online below

The winning artwork will be seen by thousands who can’t wait to hang a new Zozobra poster on their wall or add the next 100-plus years of Zozobra t-shirts to their collection. Additional artwork will be selected for promotional content throughout the year. Winning artists receive VIP tickets to the 102nd Burning of Zozobra on Friday, September 4, 2026! Best of all, the net proceeds of poster and t-shirt sales go back to our community as grants to nonprofits that make life better for New Mexico kids!

Comprehensive Style Guide for Zozobra 2026 Style

REMEMBER TO USE THE 102 THEME AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY THEME. ZOZOBRA as King, Gloomies as Redcoats. Fire Spirit and Torchbearers as American Patriots.

This guide will cover the visual style, fashion, accessories, and cultural touch points that define the American Revolution.

1. Visual Aesthetics

• Color Palette:
  • Red, white, and gloomy
  • Patriots blue
  • Metallics, stripes, and stars
  • Deep tones (dark red, dark blue, forest green, dark brown) for accents
• Materials:
  • 1776 clothing styles
  • Patriotic assets and insignia
• Patterns:
  • Gold braid
  • Military designs
  • Flags
  • Cross-stitch samplers and patriotic quilts

2. Fashion: Please remember that Zozobra is not a Patriot, and cannot be dressed in Continental Army blue, which is reserved for Patriots such as the torchbearers.

• Zozobra’s Assets
  • Symbols of royalty
  • Regal red and gold
  • White gloves
  • He expects to be referred to as “His Majesty”
  • No gun: he lets others do the fighting for him
• Men’s Attire:
  • Tops: High-necked stock or cravat tied around the neck
  • Shirts: Linen with a waistcoat (vest)
  • Bottoms: Woolen breeches (trousers)
  • Coats for patriots only: Wool or frock coats in colors like dark blue, brown, or green, with contrasting facings on cuffs and lapels.
  • Footwear: Decorative buckles on low-heeled shoes.
  • Headwear: Three-cornered hats
  • Hair: Wig, long natural hair, often powdered and worn tied at the back of the head
  • Military: The standard Continental Army uniform was a blue coat with red facings. Blue is for patriots only.
• Women’s Attire:
  • Dresses: Cotton or muslin, long, flowing dresses like the polonaise, a front-opening gown and gathered skirt, along with stays (corsets)
  • Bodices: Stays or corset
  • Accessories: Gloves, aprons, and bonnets
  • Footwear: Soft leather shoes and boots

3. Accessories

• Men: Pocket watches, pipes, tobacco pouches
• Women: Silk fans and gloves
• Protective and military gear; Continental Army blue uniforms are for patriots only
  • Swords and Pistols: Swords were common for officers and wealthy civilians, while pistols were carried for personal protection while traveling.
  • Canteens: Soldiers carried canteens for water, and large leather cases called canteens were sometimes used to carry food and liquor for travel.
  • Bayonet and Scabbard: These were part of a soldier’s basic fighting equipment. 

4. Cultural Touchpoints

• Movies:
  • Hamilton (2015): Rap musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda detailing the life of Alexander Hamilton and his contemporaries
  • The Patriot (2000): A big-budget film starring Mel Gibson as a fictional South Carolina planter who gets drawn into the Revolutionary War.
  • Revolution (1985): An Al Pacino film about a fur trapper whose son joins the Continental Army and he is forced to join as well.
• Television:
  • The Revolutionary War (2025): Ken Burns, six-part film on PBS, currently streaming on New Mexico PBS https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-american-revolution
  • John Adams (2008): HBO miniseries chronicling the life of the second U.S. President, with a strong focus on the Revolutionary period and the nation’s founding years. 
  • Liberty, The American Revolution (1997): A six-part miniseries documentary covering the period from the Stamp Act to the ratification of the Bill of Rights
  • The Crossing (2000): A TV movie about George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River and the subsequent Battle of Trenton.
  • April Morning (1988): A TV movie that depicts the Battle of Lexington and Concord from the perspective of a young boy.
• History:
  • The Declaration of Independence (1776)
  • The Constitution (1787)
  • The Bill of Rights (1789)
• Literature
  • 1776, David McCullough: Focuses on a pivotal year in the war, covering campaigns and key figures. 
  • Paul Revere’s Ride: David Hackett
  • Leatherstocking Tales: James Fenimore Cooper

Originlity: I certify that my work is an original piece of artwork and not AI-generated. Digital artwork is accepted but AI-generated artwork will be excluded. I understand that Kiwanis wants to foster arts among our community, and it is unfair for an artist to have to compete with AI-generated imagery.

Conclusion

America’s march into the Revolutionary War is a genre that inspires creativity, patriotism, and personal expression. By reliving America’s history through films, literature, or personal projects, the possibilities are endless in this celebratory anniversary. Remember, winning artists receive VIP tickets to the 102nd Burning of Zozobra on Friday, September 4, 2026!

PLEASE READ THESE IMPORTANT DETAILS

Please remember to include an email address and cell phone number on your entry form. If we cannot reach you by email or phone, we may send text messages to contact you. By giving us your cell phone number, you agree to allow us to text you.

Electronic entries will be printed on 8.5″ x 11″ white paper for the judges to view.

Submissions can also be made by snail mail to P. O. Box 622, Santa Fe, NM 87504, but please keep in mind that mail delivery can be slow, and Kiwanis is not responsible for late or misdirected deliveries, damaged or lost mail.

Artwork can also be hand-delivered to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Fe/Del Norte (click on this link for map) located at 6600 Valentine Way, Santa Fe, NM 87507, Monday through Friday between 3-5 p.m. until Friday, January 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. Please enter at the main entrance with the double doors (see image below) and let the receptionist know that you are delivering Zozobra art.

Hand-delivered work must include the 2026 artist agreement and the artist is responsible for securely packaging the artwork to prevent damage or loss in transit. Arrangements for retrieving hand-delivered work will be made after all judging has been completed in April. Artists who submit hard-copy artwork are responsible for contacting us for the return of their work. Please be sure that all your contact information is on your entry form so we’re able to return your artwork to you.