The Wisconsin 4-H Foundation Celebrates the Arts is a contest, to be held annually for the purpose of:

• Promoting 4-H Arts Programming
• Raising Funds to Support 4-H Art Programs
• Telling the 4-H Story
• Raising Awareness of the WI 4-H Foundation and the 4-H Program

Proceeds

Proceeds from any Celebrate the Arts events or sales will be split evenly with half invested in the Talen Endowment for 4-H Arts Programming and half used for arts programming in the next 4-H program year.

Celebrate the Arts 4-H Art Contest

The Wisconsin 4-H Foundation will sponsor the art contest, open to any current Wisconsin 4-H member, with cash prizes totaling nearly $1,000.  The contest will be held virtually, with photos of all entries submitted electronically. 

Although the contest is virtual, the winning art from each category and the Best of Show must be delivered to the nearest 4-H Office or the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation.  These items will become the property of the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation and will not be returned.  In addition, photos or likenesses of all entries may be used by the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation to promote the 4-H program and/or to raise funds for the Wisconsin 4-H program.

The contest will be broken into nine categories.  Artists are STRONGLY encouraged to create art that has a 4-H theme or has root in their 4-H experience (example: a photo taken on a 4-H trip or of another 4-H member working on a 4-H project; a painting inspired by a 4-H event; pottery that incorporates the clover).  Artists will be asked to share the details of their inspiration and the 4-H connection as part of the entry process.  The 4-H connection to the contest entry will be a part of the evaluation criteria.

The categories for the contest are:

1. Drawing Using Any Medium
   1. Pencil, Ink, Charcoal, Pastel, Chalk or Other Media
   1. No larger than 2’ x 3’
   1. Unframed but may be mounted for stability
   1. Original art only, no kits
   1. Must be signed and dated on the front by the artist (lower right corner, if possible)
2. Painting (acrylic, watercolor or oil)
   1. Acrylic, Watercolor or Oil
   1. No larger than 2’ x 3’
   1. Unframed but may be mounted for stability
   1. Original art only, no kits
   1. Must be signed and dated on the front by the artist (lower right corner, if possible)
3. Pottery, Ceramics or Clay
   1. Any media or mixed-media (examples: clay, porcelain, plaster, bone china, terracotta, etc.)
   1. No larger than 2’ x 3’
   1. If the piece is hangable – unframed but may be mounted for stability
   1. Original art only, no kits
   1. If possible, signed and dated by the artist

• Photography
  • Black and White or Color print with any subject and perspective
  • 8” x 10” or 11” x 17”
  • Unframed but may be mounted for stability
  • Must be signed and dated on the front by the artist (lower right corner, if possible)
• Paper
  • Any media or mixed-media with the primary media being paper (examples: origami, paper mache, decoupage, etc.)
  • No larger than 2’ x 3’
  • If the piece is hangable – unframed but may be mounted for stability
  • Original art only, no kits
  • If possible, signed and dated by the artist
• Fabric, Yarn or Fiber
  • Any media or mixed-media using fabric, yarn or fiber (examples: quilting, latch hook, macramé, wool, felting, etc.)
  • No larger than 4’ x 6’
  • If the piece is hangable – unframed but may be mounted for stability
  • Original art only, no kits
  • If possible, signed and dated by the artist
• Any Other Media
  • Any media or mixed-media artwork that does not fall into any other category (including digital, wood, metalcraft, jewelry, leatherwork, wax, eggshells, taxidermy, etc.)
  • No larger than 2’ x 3’
  • If the piece is hangable – unframed but may be mounted for stability
  • Original art only, no kits
  • If possible, signed and dated by the artist
• 4-H Art – Non-Photography
  • Any media other than photography may be used, but the item can be entered in only one category (example: a pot with a 4-H clover can be entered in the pottery category OR the 4-H Art category, but not both)
  • Must include a strong and obvious 4-H visual such as the clover, the motto or the pledge
  • No larger than 4’ x 4’
  • If the piece is hangable – unframed but may be mounted for stability
  • Original art only, no kits
  • If possible, signed and dated by the artist
• 4-H Art – Photography
  • Black and White or Color print that fits into one of three sub-categories:
    • Photo with the theme of Fair Time
    • Photo that includes the 4-H Clover
    • Photo that was taken at a 4-H event or activity
  • 8” x 10” or 11” x 17”
  • Unframed but may be mounted for stability
  • Must be signed and dated on the front by the artist (lower right corner, if possible)

A winner will be chosen in each category with a Best of Show award given to one entry chosen by the judging committee.  Category winners will receive a $100 cash award.  The Best of Show entry will receive an additional $150 cash award.  Other art may be recognized but will not receive a cash award.  Winners will be notified by email in March.  A complete winner’s list, as well as photos of the winning entries, will be on the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation Website by late March.

To be eligible for the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation Art Contest, youth must be a 4-H member enrolled in 4-H Online for the 2023-2024 4-H Program Year.  Entrants do not need to be enrolled in any specific project to participate.

Entry Information 

• Entries will be accepted online from Wednesday, November 1, 2023, until midnight on Monday, January 15, 2024.
• A photo of the entry and the completed entry form must be submitted through the contest website: https://forms.gle/gD4XtMMUGAoPdEuX9
• A tip sheet for entrants is available.  Please review this information to learn how best to present and share your art.
• Each artist may submit one entry in one or more category but may submit only one entry in any one category.  Example: Fred can submit a photo, a chalk drawing and a ceramic dish, but he cannot enter two photos.

Entry submission must include:

1. Artist Name
2. Artist Address
3. Artist Email
4. Artist Phone Number
5. Artist County
6. Artist 4-H Club Name and Leader’s Name
7. Artist Age
8. Title of Piece
9. Brief description (50 words or less) of the inspiration for the piece and how the artwork connects to the artist’s 4-H experience.  This statement will be part of the evaluation process.
10. Brief description (50 words or less) of how the piece was made; technique, medium used and process.
11. Brief statement (50 words or less) of what 4-H means to the artist.
12. Dimensions of your art piece (LxWxH)

*Artwork submitted without this information will be disqualified.

The winners in each category and the Best of Show will become the property of the Wisconsin

4-H Foundation.  Winning artwork must be brought to the nearest 4-H Office or the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation in Madison no later than March 15.  All rights to the winning pieces of art become the property of the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation and artists relinquish all rights to use, reproduce or exhibit their entry.  Winning entries may be used by the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation to raise funds to support the 4-H program.  Photos of any entry or written submission information may be used by the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation to promote or to raise funds for 4-H.

*Artists may be asked to sign their work or to sign reproductions of their work.  Artists may also be asked to attend an event where their art will be sold or displayed.

Judging Process

A panel of experienced youth development professionals and 4-H Art Team members will screen the entries and select finalists.  Artwork chosen as finalists will be screened by a second panel comprised of art, 4-H and youth development experts.  The top entrant in each category may be selected with one of those pieces chosen as the Best of Show.  At the judges’ discretion, other awards may be given to artists showing exceptional creativity, promise or talent.  The connection of the art to the artist’s 4-H experience will be part of the evaluation.  A statement about that connection must be provided as part of the entry process.

Notification

Artists receiving an award will be notified by email and/or postal letter in February.  Artwork may be featured in Wisconsin 4-H Foundation materials.  First place submissions to the art contest will become the sole property of the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation and may be used for any purpose at the sole discretion of the 4-H Foundation.

Use of Artwork

Art may be sold at a Wisconsin 4-H Foundation event or online.  Artists may be invited to attend an event to present their artwork.  The artwork earning the Best of Show or other awards may be reproduced and prints may be made available for sale to benefit the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation.