2013 Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest
4-15-2013 The Grand Prize Winner, Category Winners, and semi-finalists in the 2013 Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest can be seen here!
All participants can download a 2013 Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest Certificate of Participation.
The national Endangered Species Day Youth Art contest provides young people with an opportunity to learn about endangered species and express their knowledge and support through artwork. Started in 2006 by the United States Congress, Endangered Species Day recognizes the importance of endangered species and is an occasion to educate the public on how to protect them. The art contest is an integral part of the eighth annual national Endangered Species Day, celebrated on May 17, 2013.
The Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest is organized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Endangered Species Coalition, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the International Child Art Foundation.
Teachers can include the Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest as a featured activity for Youth Art Month in March 2013.
Learning About Endangered Species
Schools, scout troops and other educational institutions are encouraged to learn about our nation’s wildlife, birds, fish and plants on the brink of extinction. Lesson plans and other educational materials can be found at the Endangered Species Day Teacher Resource Center at www.EndangeredSpeciesDay.org. You will also see the winning entries from the 2012 Youth Art Contest.
Subject Matter
Artwork should highlight one or more land- and/or ocean-dwelling endangered species—mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, plant, and/or invertebrate (e.g., insect, spider, snail, coral, crustacean or clam)—found in the United States. Entrants are encouraged to depict species found in their region and ideally in the species’ habitat. For information on all endangered species, see the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/ and the NOAA Fisheries website: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species
Judging
Winners will be chosen in four categories: K-Grade 2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8 and Grades 9-12. From these, one national winner will be selected in 2013. Initial judging will be conducted by the International Child Art Foundation. The final winners will be chosen by a prestigious panel of judges, including artists, educators, conservationists and others. The art will be judged on the basis of:
- Concept: How well the work relates to the endangered species theme
- Composition: How well the elements of line and form work together
- Color: How color enhances the artwork
- Expression: How imaginatively the work conveys an idea or emotion
Entry Requirements
Please pay particular attention to these guidelines, as ignoring any one of them could be subject for disqualification from the contest.
- The physical size of submitted artwork must be 8 1/2" x 11" and less than 1/8" thick.
- Image must be a live portrayal of a native North American endangered species.
- Artistic liberties may be taken as long as the depiction is a recognizable endangered species.
- Entries should not be matted, mounted, laminated, framed or folded.
- Chalk and pastel entries should be sprayed with a fixative to safeguard artwork.
- The entry may be multi-color, black and white, or a single color; it may be rendered in ink, oil or acrylic paint, pastel, crayon, or pencil.
- Techniques may include scratch-board, airbrush, linoleum printing, paper collage, dry brush, crosshatch, pointillism. No photography, weak pencil, or computer-generated art. Computers or other mechanical devices may not be used in creating artwork.
- No lettering, words, signatures or initials may appear on the front of the artwork.
- Artwork must be entrant's original, hand-drawn creation and may not be traced or copied from published photographs or other artists' works. Entrants may rely on photographs or published images as guides. However, especially when references are used for the subject(s), the entry must be the entrant's own creation and idea.
- The entry must have the name, grade and title on the back of the submission in pencil.
- Attach a completed entry form with tape or other fixative to the back of artwork. If using glue, be careful to use one that will not run through and damage the artwork. No paperclips.
- Entries must be postmarked by March 15, 2013 and must have PLEASE DO NOT BEND on the envelope.
Submission
The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2013 and has now passed. Check back here for the winning entries in the coming weeks!
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Endangered Species Day Art Contest
% Endangered Species Coalition
PO Box 5775
Takoma Park, MD 20913-5775
PLEASE DO NOT BEND
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Prizes
Winners will be chosen in the four age categories. From these, one grand prize-winner will be selected and honored with his/her name engraved on a special trophy that was designed by a gifted young artist (Meredith Graf of New Orleans, LA). The grand prize-winner will receive a round-trip flight to Washington, D.C. for him/herself and one guardian to attend a reception in May. (Accommodations will also be provided. Prize is not redeemable for cash. All other expenses are the responsibility of the winner.) In addition, the grand prize-winner will receive a special art lesson from well-known wildlife artist Wyland (via Skype) and $50 worth of art supplies of their choice from Chartpak, Inc.
Each of the grade category winners (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12) will receive a special plaque and $25 worth of art supplies from Chartpak.
Second and third place finishers will receive a special certificate.
All contest entrants may obtain a Certificate of Participation (available on Endangered Species Day Website for teachers/youth leaders/parents to download).
An exhibition of the artwork and other promotions are also planned.
Ownership
Submissions become property of the Endangered Species Coalition. Through submission of artwork, entrants and their legal guardians grant non-exclusive reproduction and publication rights to the works submitted, which will not be returned. Though the Endangered Species Coalition will attempt to treat all submitted work with the utmost care, the Endangered Species Coalition is not responsible for any damage or loss that may occur during the sending of entries through the mail. Other contest partners, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the International Child Art Foundation will also have permission to use artwork for non-profit educational purposes (with appropriate reference to the Youth Art Contest.)
Register online and enter the 2013 Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest!
Contest Partners
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the premier government agency dedicated to the conservation, protection, and enhancement of fish, wildlife and plants, and their habitats. It is the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of these important natural resources for the American public. The Service also helps ensure a healthy environment for people through its work benefiting wildlife, and by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage.
www.fws.gov
Endangered Species Coalition
The Endangered Species Coalition is a national network of hundreds of conservation, scientific, education, religious, sporting, outdoor recreation, humane, business and community groups across the country. Through public education, scientific information and citizen participation, we work to protect our nation's wildlife and wild places. The Endangered Species Coalition is a non-profit, non-partisan coalition working with concerned citizens and decision-makers to protect endangered species and habitat.
www.stopextinction.org
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. The AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats.
www.aza.org
International Child Art Foundation
The International Child Art Foundation has served as the leading art and creativity organization for American children and their international counterparts since 1997. The ICAF employs the power of the arts for the development of creativity and empathy - key attributes of successful learners and leaders in the 21st century. To-date, approximately five million children have directly benefitted from the ICAF programs and more than 110,000 people have participated in the ICAF festivals and exhibitions
www.icaf.org
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