Findlay invites youth to celebrate America with art

FINDLAY — The city of Findlay is inviting local young people to help celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the United States with a banner design competition. Youth in elementary, middle and high school are encouraged to participate in a special banner design competition with the chosen banners to be displayed in the downtown area. Participants are asked to create artwork that reflects what American patriotism means to them, a release from the city states. "This is an opportunity for young artists to share their creativity and perspective while helping our community commemorate this historic milestone," the release reads. A total of 22 winning designs will be selected, and the artwork will be transformed into banners that will be displayed in downtown Findlay. Participants must live in or attend school within Findlay city limits. More rules for the competition are as follows: Theme — Artwork should reflect "What American Patriotism Means to Me" in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Accepted Media — Students are encouraged to be creative in their approach. Artwork may be created using any medium, including but not limited to:• Drawing (pencil, colored pencil, charcoal, ink)• Painting (watercolor, acrylic, etc.)• Digital illustration or graphic design• Mixed media If submitting physical artwork, it must be able to be clearly scanned or photographed for reproduction as a banner. Artwork should be flat (2-D) and entrants should avoid using fragile, highly-textured or 3-D materials materials. The use of red, white and blue colors is not required, but is preferred. Size — Recommended size for submissions is 8.5" x 11" or 11" x 17" Artwork should be created in portrait (vertical) orientation, as banners will be displayed vertically. Digital Files — If submitting digitally, JPEG, PNG and PDF file types will be accepted, at a minimum resolution of 300 DPI. Content Restrictions — Artwork must be appropriate for public display and may not include political messaging or campaign-related imagery; religious content; or inappropriate language or imagery. Original Work — All submissions must be original artwork created by the student. Winning designs will be digitally adapted to be made into a banner, which may include minor adjustments to ensure proper sizing and formatting for display in the downtown area. All banners will include the OH250 logo. The deadline for submissions is Friday, May 1. Entries must include the student's name, grade level, school and contact information. Submissions can be sent digitally to mayor@findlayohio.gov or dropped off in person at the mayor's office, 318 Dorney Plaza, Room310, during regular business hours. Winners to be notified Wednesday, May 6 — eight winners will be chosen from the K-5th grade category, seven winners will be chosen from the 6th-8th grade category and seven winners will be chosen from the 9th-12th grade category.