SC State Fair Student Art Awards 2025

October 20, 2025

The South Carolina State Fair is an annual event held in Columbia every year since 1869. While many people’s thoughts about the state fair are related to its rides, games, and food, it was initially founded as an agricultural event that hosted several farming-related competitions. Over the years, it has also added art competitions to its annual lineup, and several Horry County students submitted their artwork to this year’s fair, which was from October 8–19.

Students entered art in the 2D, 3D, and photography categories and competed against other students at their grade level. Each grade level had a first-, second-, and third-place winner in each category and up to 10 honorable mentions. Judges also determined three best-in-show winners in each category: one from the elementary level, one from middle school, and one from high school.

Best-in-show winners received a $100 prize, while first-place winners received between $10 and $25, depending on their grade level.

Students had to register their artwork through their schools between July 1 and September 1, deliver their art to the fair between September 21 and 23, and wait until October 1 to find out if they won. The fair displayed the winners’ art in an exhibit for fair-goers to view.

This year, six HCS students placed, and another six received honorable mentions! Congratulations to the artists listed below: