‘Fly to Save Lives’ will be the theme for the 2026 FAI Young Artists Contest. By focusing on this topic, the World Air Sports Federation (FAI) encourages youngsters to explore not only the physical side of vital emergency air service missions, but also the positive impact that air sports have on mental wellbeing.

From helping others to helping take care of your own mental health, taking to the sky has benefitted millions of people from all walks of life.

When we consider helicopter rescue services, deliveries of essential medication and food packages by parachutes or drones, cutting edge aeronautical technology has been a source of emergency relief for many millions of people in well over a century.

Aircraft travel long distances to meet different cultures, unite friends, families and colleagues. From a leisure perspective, taking to the sky in a hot air balloon, a glider or a paramotor helps people feel liberated, reconnect to the environment, and boosts their mental health.

Roland Pré, President of the FAI Education Commission, states,

“For the 2026 FAI Young Artists Contest, we  hope that young people from around the world will get out their pencils, paints and crayons and let their imaginations interpret the theme ‘Fly to Save Lives’ to show that the sky is not the limit – it is where hope begins.”

2026 FAI Young Artists Contest Theme

For over a hundred years, people have dreamed of flying in the sky. What once seemed like magic is now a part of our everyday lives. Planes and helicopters help us travel far and fast, bringing people together from all over the world. They also help during emergencies, like delivering food, medicine, fighting wildfires and finding people who need help.

Flying isn’t just about helping others—it can also help you. When people do air sports like paragliding, ballooning, or flying drones, it helps them feel happy, confident, and strong. Being up in the sky makes people feel free, it helps them connect to nature, and exercises complete focus on one single task, all of which are great for their wellbeing. This year’s FAI Young Artists Contest theme is ‘Fly to Save Lives’. We want you to imagine how aviation and air sports can help save lives.

With your crayons, paint, or pencils, show us your ideas. How can flight make the world a safer and better place? The sky is not the limit—it’s where hope begins!

How to Participate

The annual Young Artists Contest which has been running since 1986 is open to youngsters between the ages of six and 18, with FAI gold, silver and bronze medals and diplomas presented to the top three artists in each of the three categories which are as follows:

• Group I - Junior Category (Date of birth between 1 Jan 2016 and 31 Dec 2019)
• Group II - Intermediate Category (Date of birth between 1 Jan 2012 and 31 Dec 2015)
• Group III - Senior Category (Date of birth between 1 Jan 2008 and 31 Dec 2011)

Young artists must first enter a competition at national level, organised by their FAI Member. National winners will then go through to a final international judging stage. Finally, the winning artists will be announced in 2026.

• FAI Young Artists Contest website