4th Annual Arkansas Endangered Species Day Art Contest

The 4th Annual Arkansas Endangered Species Day Art Contest will provide students with an opportunity to learn about endangered and threatened species, as well as species that are listed by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission as Species of Greatest Conservation Need and thus may require federal listing as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act at some point in the future, and express their knowledge and support through art work. This contest is organized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Arkansas Ecological Services Field Office.

Endangered Species Day is a celebration of our nation’s wildlife and wild places. Started in 2006 by the United States Congress, Endangered Species Day is an opportunity to learn about endangered species. The art contest is an integral part of celebrating Endangered Species Day, May 17, 2013.

Art work should highlight one or more land, cave, and/or stream dwelling endangered, threatened, or candidate species (i.e., mammal, bird, fish, invertebrate, amphibian, plant) found in Arkansas. Information pertaining to Arkansas’ endangered, threatened, and candidate wildlife and plants and the areas they live in Arkansas is provided in this packet.

Winners will be chosen in four categories: K-Grade 2, Grades 3-6, Grades 7-9, and Grades 10-12. First, second, and third place winners will be selected from each category this year. From these, one overall state winner will be selected this year. Contest entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges, including artists and conservationists. Contest winners will be notified prior to the end of the current school year (May, 2013).

• Concept: How well the work relates to the endangered species theme.
• Composition: How well the elements of line and form work together.
• Color: How color enhances the art work.
• Expression: How imaginatively the work conveys an idea or emotion.

• The physical size of submitted art work must be 8.5" x 11" or 9" x 12" and less than ¼" thick.
• Image must be a live portrayal of a native endangered species to Arkansas.
• Artistic liberties may be taken as long as the depiction is a recognizable endangered, threatened, or candidate species.
• Entries should not be matted, mounted, laminated, framed or folded.
• Chalk and pastel entries should be sprayed with a fixative to safeguard art work.
• The entry may be multi-color, black and white, or a single color; it may be rendered in ink, paint, pastel, crayon, or pencil.
• Techniques may include scratch-board, airbrush, linoleum printing, paper collage, dry brush, crosshatch, pointillism. No photography, weak pencil, or computer-generated art. Computers or other mechanical devices may not be used in creating artwork.
• Design entries must be entrant's original, hand-drawn creation and may not be traced or copied from published photographs or other artists' works. Entrants may rely on photographs or published images as guides. However, especially when references are used for the subject(s), the entry must be the entrant's own creation and idea.
• The entry must have the contestant’s name, school name, location, and phone number, grade and title on the back of the submission in pencil.
• Entries must be postmarked by April 12, 2013.

Entries should be sent to:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
ATTN: Endangered Species Day Art Contest
110 South Amity Road, Suite 300
Conway, AR 72032

Direct questions to Erin Leone at 501-513-4472 or erin_leone@fws.gov.

Each winner will receive a plaque and Acorn Naturalist Gift Card. Gift Cards will be awarded in $100, $50, and $25 denominations for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category. The contest’s grand prize winner will receive a $250 Acorn Naturalist Gift Card and plaque.

Arkansas Field Office
110 S. Amity Road
Suite 300
Conway, AR 72032

501/513 4470 (v)
501/513 4480 (f)