The Asiatic cheetah is a critically endangered subspecies of the cheetah. Current population estimates are ~30 individuals, isolated to Iran.
The primary organisation promoting the conservation of this unique and beautiful creature is the NGO Iranian Cheetah Society, which works to conserve a number of species in Iran, with the Asiatic cheetah as its flagship species.
To help raise awareness of the plight of this animal, TXT LTD is offering the following prizes for drawings, paintings, illustrations or other 2D artworks of the Asiatic cheetah (either lone or multiple cheetahs):
1st: Prismacolor 150CT full range
2nd: Caran d'Ache Neocolor II 84CT full range
3rd: Amsterdam ALL ACRYLICS 20ml 72CT
4th: Faber-Castell Polychromos 36CT
5th: Cretacolor 35CT Drawing Set
6th: Molotow One4All Twin 10CT
7th: Cretacolor Chunky Art Stick 13CT
8th: Molotow BLACKLINER 13CT + Brush Pen + Refill
Each prize (apart from #3) includes appropriate drawing paper, either Strathmore-, Talens- or Molotow-branded.
Prizes will be shipped free of charge to the winners, anywhere in the world.
Winning entries will be selected by a panel of three judges in our local village, none of whom are employees of TXT LTD. No employee of TXT LTD is permitted to enter the competition, nor is any direct relative (immediate family plus cousins, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, grandchildren, and grandparents) of any judge.
Winning entries (1-8) will be sent to the Iranian Cheetah Society so they may be used in their literature or on their website. All entries will be shown on our webshop blog and our Instagram. By submitting entries to the competition, entrants will allow the reproduction of their art by both TXT LTD and the Iranian Cheetah Society.
Entries will be judged not only on artistic merit, but on the effort made to illustrate at least one of:
- the dire circumstances of the Asiatic Cheetah and the threats it currently faces;
- its historical struggle for survival;
- modern-day human efforts to save the subspecies from extinction.
Rules
- One entry per person
- No digital art
- No colouring-in pages (AKA "fill in the colours")
- No photography
- All other physical media allowed, including mixed media, but the entry must be mainly 2D (i.e. no sculptures or protruding art)
- All narrative styles allowed - e.g. portrait, scene, story, mural, timeline tapestry - but at least one Asiatic cheetah head must be visible in the artwork
- No other cheetah subspecies can be visible in the artwork (only the Asiatic cheetah - see the links at the bottom of this post for image sources - the differences are subtle so study closely.)
- If you are using natural scenery in the background, do not use African or Indian landscapes, as your cheetah(s) may then be confused with other cheetah subspecies, which live in such areas. See the links at the bottom of this post for guidance on habitats.
- Entries to be received by 31 October 2025 23:59 UTC+0
Sending Your Entries
Entries can be scanned/photographed and sent via email to r@txt.ltd (or send a link to a file-hosting service if the image size is over 25MB)
or mailed to:
TXT LTD - Asiatic cheetah
5 Station Road
Lisbellaw
BT94 5UP
United Kingdom
Include your name or social media link with your entry if you wish to be credited for your art on our webshop blog and our Instagram!
If you do not have the desire, ability or means to mail your entry or photograph/scan it well, please send the best photograph you can make. If we deem the entry to be a winner, we will contact you to arrange for the original art to be mailed to us at our expense for a professional scan. We will also return the original artwork to you in this case.
Please Share the Competition!
As the primary goal of this competition is to raise awareness of the situation of the Asiatic Cheetah, we encourage active sharing of this competition, so together we may spread the word far and wide through the creative power of art.
If the competition becomes popular enough, we will consider adding more prizes to the prize pool. We may also run more competitions in future (this is our first competition!)
Links and Images
Asiatic Cheetah - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio (multiple languages)
Asiatic cheetah - Wikipedia (multiple languages)
Can Iran save the last remaining Asiatic cheetahs? | One Earth (English only)
Asiatic Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) - JungleDragon (English only)
Disclaimers and Notes
Please note that due to the current geo-political situation in Iran (as of June 19 2025) the website of the Iranian Cheetah Society may be inaccessible as result of infrastructure instability or international sanctions, therefore we have provided a Wayback Machine link for 15 June 2025 instead. You can try to visit the current website here. The Instagram of the Iranian Cheetah Society is here.
This competition is not endorsed by the Iranian Cheetah Society. Terms are subject to change. Deadline will not be brought forward but may be extended. Judge decisions are final.
