Art Contest

The DiscoverU 2021 Art Contest is open for submissions. Check out last year’s entries in our Facebook Album here!

ABOUT

DiscoverU Week, Oct. 11-15, 2021, is an exciting week for the community to come together and support all students—especially students of color, low-income, and first generation students—in exploring college and career options. The DiscoverU Art Contest encourages K-12 students from Road Map Project schools (South Seattle and South King County) to get creative with the theme of college and career exploration. The submission deadline is Friday, Oct. 1st, 11:59 p.m. and winners will be announced throughout the week of DiscoverU.

ELIGIBILITY

K-12 public school students in South Seattle and South King County are eligible to apply. This contest is an effort to support college and career exploration in the Road Map Project region, which encompasses the following school districts: Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton, South Seattle, and Tukwila. Click here to see a list of Road Map Project schools.

HOW TO ENTER

Create an art piece that promotes college and career exploration. Follow at least one of these prompts:

Discover Local Jobs: What type(s) of careers help your community?
Lead Your Community Day: What does community leadership look like to you?
Classroom to Career Day: How is what you are learning now going to help you in your future career and life?
College Gear Day: What are your college dreams?
Flash Forward Friday: What is your vision for your future?

Submit your art by filling out this form

AWARDS

The first 100 qualifying artists who enter the contest will automatically receive $20. The DiscoverU panel of judges will award 20 category prize winners, who will receive $100 each. The two grand prize winners will be determined via a public vote and will receive $300 each.

CONTEST TIMELINE

Aug. 1 – Oct. 1: Open for submissions
Oct. 1-5: DiscoverU judging
Oct. 5-8: Public voting period
Oct. 11-15 (DiscoverU Week): winners will be announced throughout the week

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

We will add responses to any questions submitted (info@discoveruwa.org).

Q: Do I need to have a Google account to enter?
A: Yes, the Google Form does require a Gmail account, which is free to register for.

Q: How do I get the $20 for entering my art? Why are you giving us $20?
A: The first 100 qualifying artists to enter the contest will be sent, via email, a $20 digital cash card. Qualifying means that the artist must be a current K-12 public school student attending a Road Map Project school, whose artistic entry answers at least one of our college & career exploration prompts. Many contests ask people who enter to pay a submission fee—we’re flipping that around in the spirit of equity. We want to recognize the work that young people put into creative endeavors, and the power of their visions for their futures!

Q: Can I enter the contest if I don’t currently attend school in a Road Map Project district (Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton, South Seattle, and Tukwila)?
A: You must attend a public K-12 school in the Road Map Project region in order to enter the contest. Only public school students in Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton, South Seattle, and Tukwila districts are eligible.

Q: Can I enter in multiple categories?
A: Yes. However, individual artists are qualified for only one payment of the $20 for entering. You may submit into multiple categories (visual art, poetry/creative writing, and music/performance) and win more than one prize.

Q: Can artwork be created collaboratively with a partner or a group?
A: Yes. While each individual qualifying artist in the team will get $20 for submission, the art will count as one entry so if your team entry is ultimately chosen as a winner, the team must split the $100 (category prize) or $300 (grand prize).

Q: I’m an educator. How can I support my students to enter?
A: You can plan and facilitate virtual classroom time dedicated to students creating their DiscoverU 2020 Art Contest entries. You can connect students with resources to help them think about the contest’s prompt questions. You can send the Art Contest information to your students, and remind them of the deadline.