Here are different writing and art events you can use to Challenge yourself this year!
Challenges are Writers (W), Artists (A.), or both (B.) Start planning out your year now.

Did I miss any great challenges? Let me know in the comments below! I believe all these challenges are still running.

January

W. Storystorm by Tara Lazar starts (previously PiBoIdMo). Get 30 book ideas in 30 days. Sign up late December - early January).

A. #kidlitart on Twitter starts it's PB Dummy Challenge. Challenge lasts 6 months. Last year they mixed things up and did the Build a Portfolio Challenge instead (#BAPC) and also did an Kidlitart Art Challenge (#kidlitart28). Join #kidart on Twitter Thursday nights at 9pm EST for more information!

B. Julie Hedlund's 12 x 12 sign up starts and runs through February. Finish 12 picture books in 12 months. Lots of great webinars, prizes and support. Gold members can submit their work directly to editors and agents.

February

A. Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 starts. Normally this challenge runs in January. This year it runs February 1st - March 2nd. 

March

W. Chapter Book Challenge (ChaBooCha) runs this month. Hosted by Becky Fyfe. Finish your chapter book in 30 days.

W. Janice Hardy's Revise Your Novel in 30 Days  Get your novel edited in 30 days.

B. Reading for Research Month (ReFoReMo) Sign up starts February 15th. Read books to improve your own writing!

W. 50 Precious Words Runs March 2nd - 6th. Hosted by Vivian Kirkfield. Write a 50 word story with a beginning, middle and end.

April

W. Angie Karchers Rhyme Revolution For the month of April Angie posts a different writing challenge every day. Challenges must be completed daily and posts commented on to win prizes.

May

W. National Picture Book Writing Week: Write seven picture book manuscripts in one week. Hosted by Paula Yoo.

June

A. Daisy Yellow Index Card A Day Challenge. In this two month challenge your create one piece of
artwork every day for 61 days.

July

A. World Watercolor Month  Create 31 Watercolor Paintings in 31 Days. Hosted by the World Watercolor Group founded by Charlie O'Shields.

August

I couldn't find a challenge that's still running for this month!

September

A. Smart Dummies starts! Create a Picture Book Dummy in 30 days. Sign up in August 15th through the first week of September. Hosted by yours truly (Dani Duck).

A. Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 catch this one if you missed it in February!

October

A. Inktober starts (#inktober on Instagram and Twitter). Create 30 inked drawings in 30 days! Created by Jake Parker

November

W. National Novel Writing Month. Get your Novel written in 30 days!

December

A. December Watercolor Challenge Hosted by the World Watercolor Group founded by Charlie O'Shields.

Other Challenges

A. Doodle Day This is the challenge that never ends! Started in May 2013 this was meant to be a month long daily drawing challenge. Alison K. Hertz started this not knowing what it was. Now she'll continue hosting this forever just because!

A. Illustration Friday A weekly art challenge. No official sign up needed.

A. Draw This! A monthly challenge (due on the 20th of every month). Hosted by the SCBWI. Participants must be current SCBWI members to win.

B. Sub Six A challenge to submit 6 picture books in a year. Most people submit far more, so it's mostly a support group. Need permission from Alayne Kay Christian, Stacy Stenberg Jensen, or Debbie Bernstein LaCroix to join the Facebook group.

A. 52-Week Illustration Challenge by Nicky Johnston. Create 1 illustration a week for 52 weeks. Participants post their current week's illustrations in the facebook group.

W. Inky Girl's Daily Words Debbie Ridpath Ohi hosts. This is to help writers short on time come up with a regular regiment for writing. There are great badges you can put on your blog for writing as little as 100 or for 15 minutes a day. There is no formal sign up. 

A. Color Collective A weekly art challenge on Twitter based on color.

Want a reading or blogging challenge? Feed Your Fiction Addiction has a huge list of reading challenges as does Girloxox.com I'm sure several of the challenges repeat on these, so if you can't find what you are looking for on one the other likely has it!