Capture Arts & Culture In Monmouth County For Annual High School Photography Contest

MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ — Submissions are officially open for Monmouth County's 2026 Archives & History Day High School Photography Contest.

Hosted by Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon, this year's theme for the contest ( titled “Creative Heritage: Arts & Culture in Monmouth County”) challenges students to capture an original image of a person, place, or event significant to arts and culture in Monmouth County.

The top three winners of the contest will be awarded gift card prizes, and the top 10 will be featured in a special exhibit at this year’s Archives & History Day.

The day will be held at Brookdale Community College’s Robert Collins Arena on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“Students for the first time will have the opportunity to display their work at Archives & History Day, where hundreds of people will enjoy their photos,” Hanlon said.

“This is a wonderful way to celebrate the arts and culture of Monmouth County, the theme of this year’s event, while sharing the talents of our County’s students.”

High school students living in Monmouth County and/or attending a school in Monmouth County are challenged to submit an original color or black-and-white photograph highlighting an aspect of Monmouth County’s arts and culture, such as:

• A performer (or performers) connected to Monmouth County
• An event in the performing or visual arts that took place in Monmouth County
• A location, institution, or organization that plays a meaningful role in Monmouth County’s cultural community.

Official contest rules can be viewed and downloaded here.

Contest entries will be accepted through Thursday, Oct. 1, via email to ClerkContest@co.monmouth.nj.us with the subject “2026 High School Photography Contest” and the image attached.

Photo entries should be in JPG format with a resolution of 300 dpi and a maximum file size of 20MB.

All entries must include the student’s name, grade, high school, home address, phone number and email address.

Additionally, the student must include a brief description of what is captured in the photo and its significance to the arts and culture of Monmouth County.

Winning students will be recognized during the awards segment of Archives & History Day, which is free and open to the public.

More information about the event can be found here and questions about the contest can be directed to ClerkContest@co.monmouth.nj.us.