As the Idaho Falls Arts Council has been trumpeting for years, the well of young talent runs deep in East Idaho. Some of the most profound works of art, in fact, come from some of the youngest practitioners.
Thanks to a new arts-based competition for the state of Idaho, teen artists now have a two-pronged opportunity to create compelling works of art and also help tackle the Meth problem in Idaho.
The competition is called Paint the State. It’s an unprecedented public art competition and large-scale community action program aimed at broadly communicating the risks of Meth use through public works of art.
The rules of the contest are simple. Teens ages 13-18 will be asked to use the "Meth: Not Even Once" logo, tagline, or other anti-Meth theme and combine it with a little inspiration and a lot of imagination to create a work of art. It can be any style or any medium, as long as it’s clearly visible to the general public. This could be a mural on the side of a building, a sign along a busy road, a 3D scene in a storefront window, a painted bus—the possibilities are endless.
Cash prizes will be awarded in each county. The prizes are $1,500 for first, $1,000 for second and $500 for third place, along with a statewide prize of $5,000.
Teens have until June 18 to register to participate in the project. They also must have their artwork on public display the week of July 12-18.
For more information visit www.paintthestateidaho.org or call 331-2060.
