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Free, all-ages community art contest: $2,500 in cash prizes

We are so excited that you’re here for Kensington Voice’s first art contest! 

We saw this project as an opportunity to encourage community connections, conversation, and creative expression about a health issue that continues to disproportionately affect the communities we serve: COVID-19. Until now, our COVID-19 work has mostly focused on community engagement, the latest news, and information about vaccines.

This art contest is being organized by us, Kensington Voice, a community newsroom serving Fairhill, Harrowgate, Kensington, and Norris Square. It is sponsored by the Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) as part of PHMC’s vaccine hesitancy efforts. 

Take a look at the contest details below. 

Art Contest Themes

Participants must choose any one of the following themes:

  • A newer normal: Life since the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine
  • Continuing the conversation: Promoting health when everyone is tired of hearing and talking about COVID-19
  • Healthy communities: How my community and I continue to stay healthy during the pandemic
  • Health justice for all: Before, during, and beyond COVID-19
  • Writing our health history: What we’ll remember 100 years after the first case of COVID-19

Acceptable Art Submission Types

Participants may submit any of the following types of art:

  • Drawing
  • Painting 
  • Mixed Media
  • Digital
  • Spoken Word/Poetry

Prizes

A $500 top prize will be awarded for each of the submission types, plus a $250 prize for the winner of each best in age category. All participants will receive a free Kensington Voice t-shirt. Each winner’s work will be published on the Kensington Voice website and in the August edition of Kensington Voice’s newspaper.

Prize Categories 

BEST IN SHOW – $500 prize per submission type

  • Individual Submissions 
    • Includes submissions by individuals who worked independently. 
  • Group Submissions 
    • Includes submissions by groups of 2 or more people.

BEST IN AGE CATEGORY – $250 prize per age category

Individual Submissions: Includes submissions by individuals who worked independently. One $250 prize will be given for each of the following age groups:

  • Children: Ages 0-9
  • Youth: Ages 10-17
  • Adults: Ages 18+ 

Group Submissions: Includes submissions by groups of 2 or more people. One $250 prize will be given for each of the following age groups:

  • Children: Ages 0-9
  • Youth: Ages 10-17
  • Adults: Ages 18+ 
  • Mixed Ages (combination of children, youth, and adults)

Eligibility

All artists must live, work, volunteer in, or have an otherwise strong connection to one of the following ZIP codes: 

  • 19140
  • 19134
  • 19133
  • 19125
  • 19122  

Contest Period

  • Enter By: Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 @ 5:00 p.m.
  • Public Voting: Tuesday, Aug. 9 – Sat., Aug. 13 @ 5:00 p.m.  
  • Winner Announcement: Online on Monday, Aug. 15, to follow in print

How to Submit Your Art

  • Online: Upload your piece online via the online submission form
  • By Email: Email your work, after you’ve completed the online submission form, to contests@kensingtonvoice.com
  • In Person: Drop off your submission in person at Kensington Voice, located at 3237 Amber Street, 3rd Floor, Unit 43A, Phila., PA 19134, on these dates:
    • Tuesday, July 12, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
    • Thursday, July 14, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
    • Tuesday, July 19, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
    • Thursday, July 21, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
    • Wednesday, July 27, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • Friday, July 29, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • Friday, Aug. 5, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
    • Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Questions? 

If you have any questions, please contact us at contests@kensingtonvoice.com. For questions submitted Monday through Thursday, we will do our best to respond to you within 24 hours. For questions submitted Friday through Sunday, we will respond by no later than Tuesday at 12 PM.