Arts Competition Rules

Creative Arts Competition

2027 Rules & Guidelines

Competition Categories

The competition includes the following categories:

• Fiction
• Nonfiction
• Poetry
• Humor
• Photography
• Painting/Drawing
• Sculpture
• Music 

Key Dates

• Submissions open: October 1, 2026.
• Submission deadline: December 13, 2026.
• Winners published: May 2027 in Arizona Attorney Magazine and online.

Eligibility

The competition is open to all Arizona-admitted attorneys, including active, inactive, retired, and judicial members.

The following individuals are not eligible to enter:

• State Bar of Arizona staff and their immediate family members.
• Members of the Arizona Attorney Magazine Editorial Board and their immediate family members.

General Submission Rules

1. No submission form or cover letter is required.
2. Artists must identify the category for each submission.
3. Artists may submit multiple works and may enter multiple categories.
4. In the Photography category, each artist may submit a maximum of 15 photographs.
5. Legal subject matter is not required.
6. Submitted materials will not be returned.
7. The Editor and Editorial Board cannot assist artists in selecting works for submission.

Category Guidelines

Written Works

(Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Humor)

There is no required word limit. However, many successful entries have been comparable in length to our feature articles, typically about 1,500 to 3,500 words or less.

Photography

• Maximum of 15 submissions per artist.
• Explain any significant digital manipulation or post-processing performed after the image was captured.
• Images must be high resolution: 300 dpi at 10" × 12".

Painting/Drawing

• Do not send original artwork.

Sculpture

• Do not send original artwork.
• Multiple photographic views are encouraged.
• Include the dimensions of the work.

Music

• Only original compositions are eligible.
• Accepted formats: MIDI, MP3, or Flash audio.
• Maximum file size: 3 MB.

Copyright & Legal Terms

Artists retain copyright ownership of their work.

By entering the competition, artists grant the State Bar of Arizona and Arizona Attorney Magazine first North American publication rights and permission to publish the work in print, online, and other electronic channels. Publication is at the sole discretion of the State Bar. Artists also grant the State Bar permission to authorize reprints of any published work. 

By submitting a work, the artist represents and warrants that:

• The work is original.
• The work has not been previously published.
• The work has not previously received awards.
• The work does not infringe on the copyrights, trademarks, privacy rights, publicity rights, or other rights of any person or entity.
• The work is within the bounds of the fair use doctrine.
• Necessary permissions have been obtained for any person whose name, likeness, or voice appears in the work.
• Publication of the work will not infringe upon the rights of any third party.

Artists agree to indemnify and hold harmless the State Bar of Arizona from claims, losses, or damages arising from the submitted work or participation in the competition.

The competition is governed by the laws of the State of Arizona. By entering, artists consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of Arizona courts for any disputes related to the competition.

The State Bar is not responsible for technical malfunctions or service interruptions that may affect competition.

Judging

All submissions are reviewed by the Editor and the Arizona Attorney Editorial Board.

• Decisions are final.
• The Editorial Board may decline any submission.
• The Editorial Board may choose not to award a prize in any category.
• The Editorial Board may award Honorable Mentions in any category.

How to Submit

Email submissions to:

ArtsContest@staff.azbar.org

By Mail

Artists may also submit by U.S. Mail. Mailed submissions must include a digital copy on a flash drive (CDs and disks will not be accepted).

Kyle Patton
Arizona Attorney Magazine
4201 N. 24th St., Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85016

File Naming

To help identify submissions, artists are encouraged to include their name in the title of each electronic file. If submitting multiple works, add a number after the artist's name.

Past Winners

Examples of past winning entries can be found below and in any May issue published from 2008 through 2025:

• May 2026 
• May 2025

Questions

Questions regarding the competition should be directed to:

kyle.patton@staff.azbar.org