NCC heARTed Art Contest now open for submissions

Calling all artists (in New Castle County).

The 7th Annual NCC heARTed Art Contest is officially open for entries, inviting artists from across New Castle County to participate in this county-wide event that celebrates the intersection of art and community.

This year’s theme centers around a scene from an adventure, whether real or imagined, illustrated in a graphic arts style.

Graphic arts can include a range of mediums, from anime and manga to comics and digital illustrations, and the contest is open to all forms of artwork, whether hand-drawn or created digitally. The best part? All submissions must be original, giving artists the opportunity to showcase their unique talents and creativity.

To enter, participants are asked to follow three simple steps:

1. Create Artwork: Capture the essence of an adventure—real or imagined—through a graphic arts style.
2. Snap a Picture: Once your piece is ready, take a high-quality photo of your artwork.
3. Submit Your Entry: Email your image, along with a completed art waiver, to Nicole Sexton at [email protected]

The submission deadline is Monday, April 28.

In the email, participants should include their full name, email, phone number, and the appropriate art waiver (either Adult or Youth, depending on the artist’s age). If the artist is under 18, a parent or guardian must complete the Youth Art Waiver.

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The artwork must be submitted in digital format, with a resolution of at least 200-300dpi, and the subject line of the email should read “NCC heARTed.”

The contest’s winning pieces will be showcased at a pop-up art show at the Route 9 Library on Wednesday, June 4 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

All entries will be printed as postcards to be displayed at the event. Winning artists in various age groups will also receive prizes for their efforts.

The NCC heARTed Art Contest offers a unique platform for both emerging and seasoned artists to showcase their creativity while engaging with the community.

Participants are reminded that if they prefer not to have their names displayed alongside their artwork, they should indicate this when submitting their entry. Artists will be notified if their work is selected as a winner.

Awards include gift cards to Amazon and Jerry’s Artarama.

HeARTed Art Contest rules

• All artwork submitted must be appropriate for all audiences. New Castle County has the right to use discretion when accepting artwork.
• All submissions must be original art and submitted digitally.
• One submission per person.
• If you are under the age of 18, we require a signed parent/guardian release with your submission.
• Art may also be showcased on the New Castle County website, social media outlets or used in future program marketing.
• The image may be cropped to fit within printing dimensions.
• Digital submissions become property of The New Castle County Government. Once the piece is submitted with the Art Waiver New Castle County has permission for use of the art to be used solely for the purposes of New Castle County in promotional materials and publications, including the New Castle County website and social media. All materials submitted become the property of New Castle County. All individual contributors for this program retain the right to submit their work for non-exclusive publication elsewhere.