The pressure to pursue a STEM degree is universal. And it’s not unwarranted. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM jobs have a median annual wage of $101,650 while non-STEM jobs have a median annual wage of $46,680.

But for the creatives of the world, a STEM degree sounds more unappealing than anything. Many painters, writers, dancers, musicians and theater performers have no idea what to do with their passions in high school and beyond. There are many competitions and opportunities you can submit your work to, many desirable degrees and well-paying jobs that focus more on humanities. They just aren’t highlighted enough. 

The starving artist is someone who devotes themselves to their art, only to end up poor and destitute. However, if creatives think this is the only life they can lead, they close many doors that both allow them to do what they love and lead a comfortable life. Starting in high school, pursue your passions, no matter what others say.

Multiple Medium:

Competitions:

1. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are for teens grades 7-12 looking to “win national and local recognition” for their art. It has numerous categories, including ceramics, fashion, script, short story, novel writing and poetry.

There are first regional awards with Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mentions. Gold Key winners from around the country are eligible for National Awards and those who earn it are recognized in the National Ceremony at Carnegie Hall, New York.

1. YoungArts is a national competition for teens grades 10-12. It has 10 disciples, including classical music, writing, theater and visual arts, with winners in each one. Award winners with distinction can attend National YoungArts Week to meet with their fellows and prestigious artists to develop their craft. Seniors are eligible to be a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts.
2. Doodle for Google is a primarily visual arts competition, but this year it is welcoming more mediums including virtual reality paintings, stop-motion videos, songs and poems. Judges decide based on artistic merit, creativity and theme communication. Submissions can only come from U.S. states, territories and freely associated states. 

Programs:

1. California State Summer School for the Arts is a four-week summer program with seven disciplines: animation, dance, film, music, theater, visual arts and writing. It is held at California Institute of the Arts, or CalArts. 
2. Interlochen Arts Camp is for a range of ages, with one, three and six-week sessions for high schoolers. Similarly there are music, theater, visual arts, creative writing, dance and film and new media programs. 

Visual Arts:

Competitions:

1. The Congressional Art Competition is sponsored by the U.S. House of Representatives and is for high school students. Artwork cannot be submitted digitally and can be submitted at U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta’s offices in South San Jose, Santa Cruz, Monterey or Paso Robles. Winners can be selected to have their work displayed at the Congressional Art Competition exhibit in Washington, DC.
2. Sony World Photography Awards Youth Competition is run by the World Photography organization, a platform that “provide[s] valuable opportunities for artists working in photography.” It requires you to be 19 years of age or under at the time of application. 

Photographers may submit up to three pictures that follow the stated theme; any style of photography is acceptable. Judges select 10 photographers who then compete for the title Youth Photographer of the Year. 

1. Design-A-Bag Competition is a one-of-a-kind competition geared towards designers around the world. Submissions must follow the theme of the year and be formatted with a colored front view, a view of your choice in color, a technical drawing, the material swatches and the color story.

Programs:

1. Otis College of Art and Design Summer of Art is for artists ages 14.5-19 and is four weeks long, spanning the month of July. Pre-college students can explore college-level courses in art and design and build their portfolios. It has many courses for a variety of visual artists, including fashion design, concept art, life drawing and more.

Performing Arts:

Competitions: 

1. National Young Composers Challenge challenges U.S. residents between 13-18 years old to submit a composition for either a small ensemble of 2-6 instruments or an orchestra. The top three compositions from each of these categories are performed by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. The winning orchestral composer receives $1,000 while the winning ensemble composer receives $500; both receive a professional recording of their piece. 
2. The Cliburn Junior Competition is for pianists ages 13-17 and is held in Dallas, Texas. Competitors are observed by a panel of jurors and a webcast viewable by the public. In the Final Round, they perform with an orchestra. It also includes a two-week festival, allowing all the competitors to work alongside festival artists. 
3. The Jimmy Awards, otherwise known as the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, are a national competition held at Broadway’s Minskoff Theater, featuring talented high school musical theatre nominees from around the U.S.

You must first participate in the Regional Awards Program, which sponsors two students to participate in the Jimmy Awards, an actor and actress. Students cannot apply for the Jimmy Awards without a Regional Awards nomination.

1. Schmidt Vocal Competition begins with its High School Regional Competitions, in which high school sophomores, juniors and seniors perform live in one-day events. Competitors must perform three songs from different musical periods, including Broadway. The top three winners of the regional competitions are then eligible to compete in the High School National Competition.

Programs:

1. UCLA Acting and Performance Summer Institute is a three-week intensive for high schoolers interested in theater. The application requires an unofficial transcript from freshman year, a value statement, a 500-word essay, a letter of recommendation, a resume and about a minute-long video of a monologue or improvised scene.
2. Colburn School Summer Camps have music and dance programs available for ages 8 and up. Young artists enhance their skills under the guidance of Colburn School’s prestigious faculty and their peers. Some unique programs include Sounding Point Academy for violinists and Colburn-tonebase Piano Seminar.

Literary Arts:

Competitions:

1. Bennington Young Writers Awards winners include “twelve Pulitzer Prize winners, three U.S. poet laureates, four MacArthur Geniuses, and authors of countless New York Times bestsellers.” High schoolers worldwide can submit their poetry, short stories or essays, with three winners in each category. Prior to submitting your work, it must be vetted by a high school sponsor teacher. 
2. The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose is open to all secondary and undergraduate students for poetry and prose. Each poetry submission consists of five poems and each prose submission includes up to three works. You can submit five times for poetry and prose, meaning that you can submit up to 25 poems and 15 prose works.

Winners are featured in the Adroit Journal while runner-ups and finalists receive the judges’ latest book.

1. Ten-Minute Play Contest is hosted by the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University, with only high school juniors being allowed to submit. They can only submit one ten-page play; one page equals one minute. Students can partner up and split the cash prize if they are both juniors.

Programs:

1. Iowa Young Writers’ Studio offers a two-week residential program at the University of Iowa and a six-week online program. At the residential program, students take a core course in fiction, poetry, TV, play or creative writing. Applicants must be between sophomore and senior year.
2. Kenyon Young Writers Workshops also has a two-week summer residential program and online programs in the summer and winter. Students between the ages of 16-18 can apply. They will work in many different genres and work with their instructors and peers to refine their writing craft and voice.

Countless artists have pursued engineering, business or medical degrees, leaving them overflowing with regrets and dissatisfaction with their lives. They look at their younger selves: painters, writers, dancers, musicians, who once dreamed of taking the world by storm with their art, and wonder when they lost that passion. Don’t let worries like money discourage your course in life. In the end, the best life is the one you want to live.