Eligibility: 

This competition is open to all graduating high school seniors (or early graduating juniors) in Chambers, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, Orange, and Tyler counties. Each student is limited to one entry. Artwork must be original to the student (no AI generation, no copies of posters, advertisements, or master artists’ work without proper credit). Submissions can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional work, or a video format.

First Place:

• One-time $2,500 art tuition scholarship paid to any art college or program two years or more in which the student is a declared art major
• Four-year art scholarship to Lamar University Department of Art for the amount of $500 per semester
• $200 gift certificate for art supplies courtesy of Blick Art Materials

Second Place:

• Four-year art scholarship to Lamar University Department of Art for the amount of $450 per semester
• $150 gift certificate for art supplies courtesy of Blick Art Materials

Third Place:

• Four-year art scholarship to Lamar University Department of Art for the amount of $400 per semester
• $100 gift certificate for art supplies courtesy of Blick Art Materials

Teacher of the First Place Winner:

• Receives a $100 gift certificate for classroom art supplies courtesy of Blick Art Materials

*Winners have until September 2026 to use their scholarship.

The Art Museum of Southeast Texas’ Protégé Competition and Exhibition was entrusted with the dispersal and oversight of the Stewart M. Chisum and Bessie Fisher Chisum Scholarship Fund. This generous $2,500 scholarship will be available to students attending any two, or four, year postsecondary school as a declared art major. The Stewart M. Chisum and Bessie Fisher Chisum Scholarship will be available to Southeast Texas high school seniors until 10 scholarships (one each year) are dispersed.