Calling student artists! Are you up for the challenge of designing a new banner for Downtown Harrisonburg? Review the requirements below for the opportunity to see your masterpiece displayed downtown!
Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, in collaboration with Any Given Child, invites all K-12 students living in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County to submit original artwork for inclusion in the 2024 Downtown Harrisonburg Light Pole Banner Project.
HDR is designing new banners to line Main St, Liberty St, and East and West Market St. This series will include four professionally designed banners featuring a multi-lingual welcome banner and banners promoting dining, shopping, and arts & culture. The fifth banner in this series will celebrate Harrisonburg’s love of the ducks that live downtown and will be selected from student submissions!
How to Submit Your Art:
- Use the provided template to create your design, or submit a design on a different canvas keeping a 7:15 proportion.
- Fill out your contact information on the back of this submission page.
- Submit all materials to your art teacher or drop off materials to the HDR office (217 S. Liberty St. #204) by February 5.
Successful Submissions Include:
- Creative interpretation of the “downtown duck” theme. It can be realistic, a cartoon, abstract, etc. You can use crayons, paint, pencils, markers, pastels, etc., or create a digital design
- Properly proportioned designs. Selected works of art will be printed on 28″x 60″ banners. Please use the provided template or submit designs that are in 7:15 proportion.
- Bold, eye-catching designs. Keep in mind banners will be placed at the top of the light poles over a dozen feet away from viewers. Details that are too small or intricate will not be easy to decipher from a distance.
- Full-color designs. Successful submissions will utilize vibrant and bright colors as designs that are too faint or light will be hard to see from the ground. Please do not use faint colors or create designs with a black or overly dark/saturated background.
- Original and creative artwork. AI-generated designs will not be accepted.
How Will Works of Art Be Selected?
- HDR will work with partners and local artists to select a total of 20 works of art from across all grade levels. The selection committee will be looking for a variety of “duck art” styles and will take age and ability into consideration.
- Students whose works of art will be printed for the light pole banners will be contacted directly using the contact information provided below.
- All banners will be hung by early March and will be announced publicly with a downtown “open house” to celebrate all of the students’ submissions.
If you have questions, please call 540-432-8922 or email hdr@harrisonburgva.gov.