The Riverside County Office of Education has announced an upcoming virtual art competition for elementary and middle school students, titled “Art Connects”. The submission window for this contest will close on January 22. The office had previously hosted a similar event during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which proved to be so successful that they decided to reintroduce it.
According to a press release from the Riverside County Office of Education, the competition will be divided into five age categories: transitional kindergarten/pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, first and second grade, third and fourth grade, fifth and sixth grade, and seventh and eighth grade. The visual art category will close submissions on January 22, with winners being announced on January 29. However, submission windows for other categories will open later; the dance category opens on February 12, theater on March 11, and film on April 8.
The competition is open to all students from transitional kindergarten through eighth grade attending public, charter, private, parochial or home school programs in Riverside County. According to the press release, submissions can be made by students themselves or by their parents/guardians or teachers via the Art Connects’ web page. Each student is limited to five entries.
Winners will receive a plaque and have their work displayed on the Riverside County Office of Education website. Certificates will also be awarded to those who receive honorable mentions.
For the visual art category specifically, all mediums are welcome without any size restrictions. However, according to an article on the Riverside County Office of Education website, coloring sheets will not be accepted as valid entries. Participants are advised to ensure that photographs of their artwork are clear and complete.
