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Dia de los Muertos Art Contest

Tacoma Art Museum celebrates Dia de los Muertos, a tradition honored in many Latin countries, for the third year. Centro Latino and the museum invite students in the community to join in this important cultural tradition. The Dia de los Muertos planning committee is now accepting entries for its 2007 Youth Art Contest. The contest is open to students in grades 6 through 12 (including home-schooled children). The deadline to enter is September 30, 2007.

The work of all winners will be exhibited in Tacoma Art Museum’s Community Art Space from October 9 to November 4, 2007 and the winners will be invited to a special reception. The three top winners will be invited to work with artist Fulgencio Lazo to create the traditional tapete (sand painting) at Tacoma Art Museum on Saturday, October 20, 2007, and to participate in the community festival on Sunday, November 4, 2007.

Prizes will also be awarded as follows:

First Place - $100 and Tacoma Art Museum Family Membership ($75 Value)

Second Place - $75 and Tacoma Art Museum Family Membership ($75 Value)

Third Place - $50 and two free admissions passes to Tacoma Art Museum ($15 Value)

Entries may portray any part of the Dia de los Muertos holiday, which honors and celebrates loved ones who have died. Contestants are limited to one entry each. Entries may be in a medium of the artist's choice (oil, watercolor, photography, pastels, pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, etc.). Submissions should be on good quality bond or drawing paper, or illustration board. Preferred sizes for the image are 8½" x 11" or 11" x 14"; matting is optional. Entries need not be framed. Composition must be original. Photographs may be used for reference, but artwork determined to have been traced or copied from an existing photograph or work of art will be disqualified.

Entries must arrive at Centro Latino ( 1208 S. 10th St , Tacoma, WA 98405 ) by 5 p m on September 14, 2007, and must be accompanied by a brief statement signed by the student's parent, guardian, or teacher attesting to the originality of the work and verifying the artist's grade level. In addition, the artist's name, age, home address, phone number, and grade must be printed on the back of the entry or on a note attached to the back of the entry. Entries will be judged on effort, creativity, and composition.