Showcase your creativity in Our City, Our Canvas, a citywide art competition celebrating the voices and visions of Dallas youth.
Students in grades K–8 are invited to share their creativity for a chance to have their artwork featured on the construction fencing at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, transforming this landmark site into a vibrant outdoor gallery powered by community imagination.
Submission Deadline: June 30, 2025
Official Guidelines
Who Can Enter:
Open to all students grades K–8 who live in or attend school in the city of Dallas.
Students may enter individually; no group submissions.
Only one entry per student.
Theme:
“Our City, Our Future”
Students are invited to create artwork that celebrates the spirit of Dallas—its culture, people, landmarks, or hopes for the future.
Artwork Requirements:
Medium: Any traditional 2D art medium (paint, colored pencil, crayon, marker, ink, pastels, collage, etc.)
No digital submissions or AI-generated artwork.
Size: Artwork must fit on 8.5" x 11" paper (portrait or landscape).
Selected pieces will be professionally enlarged for display.
Originality: Artwork must be entirely original. Do not trace or use copyrighted characters or images.
Submission Requirements:
Each submission must include:
Student’s full name, grade, school, and contact info (email and phone number for parent/guardian)
Title of the artwork
A short artist statement (2–3 sentences about the artwork and its meaning)
Submissions must be scanned clearly or photographed in high resolution and uploaded below.
Prizes:
Selected winners will:
Have their artwork professionally printed and displayed on the construction fencing of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center for the duration of construction renovations.
Be recognized at a special unveiling event
Receive art supplies and a certificate of achievement
Our City, Our Canvas Application
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Each student may submit one piece of artwork, in any of the following media:
Drawing: Colored or graphite pencil, ink, pastel, crayon, chalk, marker, or charcoal. Pastels and charcoal must be protected with a fixative spray.
Painting: Acrylic, watercolor, oil, other plastic paints.
Printmaking: Block print, monoprint, collagraph, serigraph, lithograph, + other forms.
Mixed Media Entries in which two or more 2-D media are combined in a single two-dimensional entry; includes collage.* Materials may extend up to one inch from the surface. *Collage: No more than 20% of collage material may be from newspapers, magazines, books, or other material pre-printed with text or designs (such as scrapbook paper).
Original Photography: Must be a student’s work taken within the last year. It may be black and white or color prints.
-
Judging Criteria: The entries will be judged according to the following criteria. Each criterion is weighted equally.
Creativity and Originality: There is evidence of imagination, creativity, and individuality. The result is distinctive and the concept is presented uniquely as imaginative and inventive.
Technique: The artist chooses and utilizes media and tools competently to enhance the appearance of the work
Organization: The use of elements and the principles of art is used effectively and selectively to enhance the overall appearance of the work.
Clarity of Theme: The work combines technique, expression, and organization through artistic and critical judgment to achieve an effective interpretation of the theme.
Presentation: The presentation is in accordance with the style of the art piece and the theme of the competition.
-
Description text goes here
-
Item description
Terms & Conditions
By submitting, students and parents/guardians grant Trinity Alliance Dallas and Inspire Dallas the right to reproduce and publicly display artwork.
Artwork may be featured in marketing materials, social media, and press.