Space Art Contest Deadline is Approaching!

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 6, 2012) — The Space Foundation invites student in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, or equivalent, throughout the world to enter original artwork depicting the theme “Space is Infinite — Explore!” for an opportunity to receive national recognition and to win prizes, and an invitation to attend an awards ceremony at the 28th National Space Symposium next April in Colorado Springs, Colo.

All student entries must be sponsored and submitted and sponsored by a teacher*. Teachers are encouraged to create competitions within their classes and then submit only the top artwork to the Space Foundation contest.

More than 150 students from 13 states entered last year’s Space Foundation Student Art Contest and 36 winning works of art were recognized and displayed at the 27th National Space Symposium and can still be seen on the Space Foundation’s website by clicking here.

How to participate in the 2012 Space Foundation Student Art Contest
The contest will judge art in three categories — drawing, painting and multimedia — for four different grade categories:

• PreK-2nd  
• 3rd-5th 
• 6th-8th 
• 9th-12th

All entries must be original, must depict the theme “Space is Infinite — Explore!” and must meet the following criteria:

• Drawing — entries should be no smaller than 11″ x 17″ and no larger than 18″x 24″. Acceptable media include pencil, charcoal, pen or ink. Artwork can be created in black and white or color.  
• Painting — entries should be no smaller than 11″ x 17″ and no larger than 18″x 24″. Acceptable media include acrylic, water color, pastel, oil paint or poster paint.  
• Multimedia — entries should be no smaller than 11″ x 17″ and no larger than 18″x 24″. Acceptable media include photography, digital art, paint, collage and drawing.

Finished pieces should not be matted or framed. No three-dimensional work will be accepted and all artwork must be able to be hung or displayed on a wall.

All entries will be pre-screened by the Space Foundation artwork committee, which comprises professional marketers and graphic designers. Then, a panel of highly regarded members of the Colorado art community will select first, second and third place finalists from each art category in each age category. From that group of up to 36 winners, the panel will select a single grand prize winner in each age category — for a total of four grand prize winners. New this year, the Space Foundation will present one Achievement Award.

First-, second- and third-place winners will be announced in early 2012 and will be invited to an awards ceremony at the 28th National Space Symposium, to be held April 16-19, 2012, at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. First place and grand prize winners and the Space Foundation Achievement Award winner will be announced at the ceremony.

Winning artwork will become the property of the Space Foundation and will be displayed at the Symposium, and at other venues throughout the year. It will also be posted on Space Foundation websites for the entire year.

The deadline for entries is Jan. 31, 2012, and artwork received after Jan. 31 will not be considered for this contest. Teachers must submit an Artist Participation Release Form with each piece of artwork. Forms and contest rules are available at: www.nationalspacesymposium.org/education/art-contest

Entries are limited to one per student. Teachers should send artwork to:
Space Foundation Art Contest
4425 Arrowswest Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80907 USA

2011 Space Foundation Student Art Contest Winners Received Global Attention
Digital copies of all 36 of the 2011 art contest winning entries are now orbiting the Earth onboard the International Space Station (ISS) in conjunction with a Japanese program called TERRAHEART.  The art traveled on the Space Shuttle Atlantis’ final mission to the ISS along with digital images of drawings, paintings, writings and photos created by Japanese students.

All 36 of the 2011 art contest winning entries also will be displayed at the Colorado Springs Penrose Library, 20 North Cascade Ave., for one month beginning in late September, leading up to World Space Week in October.

About the Space Foundation
The foremost advocate for all sectors of the global space industry, the Space Foundation is developing the next generation of space professionals – and building the overall technological strength of the nation – through programs that stimulate students’ interest and skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). A non-profit organization founded in 1983, the Space Foundation supports its mission “to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity,” through space awareness programs, including Space Certification and the Space Technology Hall of Fame®;industry events, including the National Space Symposium; research and analysis products, including The Space Report: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activities; government affairs activities; and programs for teachers and students. Visit www.SpaceFoundation.org, follow the Space Foundation on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and subscribe to Space Watch.

 *Public, private and homeschool teachers may participate.