Share your creativity by participating in the Fall 2012 Vliet Street Business Association Youth Art & Coloring Contest October 1-31, 2012 held in conjunction with National Arts & Humanities Month. We know every day that the arts are celebrated throughout our neighborhood, but October is a special month to celebrate because it is the largest annual celebration of arts and humanities in the nation! The Fall Youth Art & Coloring contest is designed to encourage active participation in the arts in our neighborhood during October. Youth ages 18 and younger are encouraged to submit a contest entry and be part of the Vliet Street celebration. All entries will be on display November 10-30 at many Vliet Street businesses.

The fall coloring contest page features an illustration from Milwaukee artist James Steeno of the Washington Park Band Shell. Youth age 9 and younger are invited to use crayons, markers, colored pencils, paint or any medium and embellishment they can think of to decorate the Band Shell coloring contest page. You may pick up a coloring sheet at any of the businesses that are also drop off locations (listed below).

Youth ages 10 to 18 are invited to create an original 2D or 3D Washington Park Band Shell using materials of their choice. The possibilities are endless – painting, sculpture, found objects, pencil, popsicle sticks – let your imagination run wild! Due to display space limitations, we ask that art contest entries do not exceed 18 inches in any direction.

Prizes will be awarded in all age categories and will be announced in early November. Additionally, the general public  has the opportunity to cast a vote for the “People’s Choice Award” during Westside Holiday Happenings weekend, November 16-17, by visiting the businesses that have entries on display and casting a vote for their favorite entry. The “People’s Choice Award” will be announced on November 19. All entries will remain on display at local businesses through November 30, 2012.

Entries may be dropped off from October 1-31 at the participating businesses listed below. Additional coloring contest pages may be picked up during this time frame by visiting these same businesses:

Art & Soul Gallery
5706-08 W. Vliet Street

Artists Working in Education, Inc. (A.W.E.)
4315 W. Vliet Street

Rules of entry:
This contest is free and open to all individuals age 18 and younger. Please include the artist’s name, age, address, phone number, and parent’s or guardian’s email address on the back of the entry. All entrants will be notified by email of the locations entries will be on display in November. Limit one entry per individual. Age is defined as the age of the individual on October 31, 2012. All entries must be submitted by October 31, 2012. Late entries will not be accepted. Winners will be notified by telephone or email. Entries will become the property of the Vliet Street Business Association and will not be returned unless special arrangements are made.

Coloring Contest Age Categories:
Ages 4 and under
Ages 5-6
Ages 7-9

Art Contest Age Categories:
Ages 10-13
Ages 14-18

For more information and to download the coloring contest page and entry information for all ages, please visit  http://dl.dropbox.com/u/25033419/bandshell_coloring.pdf

You may also visit Art & Soul Gallery or Artists Working Education, Inc. to pick up coloring contest pages and entry information.

Good luck to all!