Submitted by City of Carmel
Mayor Sue Finkam invites Carmel residents to submit a poster for America’s Semiquincentennial – the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in collaboration with the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM). In addition to this milestone, the City of Carmel is celebrating its 50th anniversary, making this contest extra special.
The America 250 Poster Project aims to create visual representations (posters) that celebrate local history and inspire hope for the future.
Artists of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to participate and submit their work. Design submissions are limited to two entries per individual. Poster designs should convey civic pride, historical connection, and optimism for the next 250 years (please see Illustrative Themes). Each poster should incorporate the name of the city, “Carmel,” and “America 250” into the design.
Finkam
“What better way for our arts-loving residents to celebrate our nation’s founding than by sharing their talents,” Mayor Finkam said. “In addition to recognizing this national milestone, the City of Carmel is celebrating its 50th anniversary, making this contest extra special.”
Mayor Finkam and the Carmel Arts Council will select a winner from each of the four submission categories. The winning poster among the four that best exemplifies the theme will then be selected for submission to the USCM for display at USCM’s 94th annual Meeting this June in Long Beach, Calif.
Contest timeline
- Monday, April 20: Deadline for submissions (5 p.m. for in-person City Hall drop-off)
- June 4 to 6: Winning poster displayed at the 94th annual USCM Meeting in Long Beach, Calif.
How to submit your poster
- Drop off in person: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Carmel City Hall, 1 Civic Square, first floor reception desk
- Mail in: Mail your poster and a completed submission form to: Carmel City Hall, 1 Civic Square, Carmel, IN 46032
- All submissions must include a submission form
- Submissions will not be returned to you
Illustrative themes (must be non-partisan)
- America’s 250th Anniversary
- Carmel’s 50th Anniversary (Get inspired! Visit Carmel Clay History Museum’s website)
- Patriotism/community pride
- United States and/or Carmel history
- Civic life and engagement
- Independence Day
- Unique characteristics of Carmel
Winners selected in four categories
- Youth (Age 11 years and under)
- Middle school/high school students (Age 12 to 17)
- Amateur adult (Age 18 and up)
- Professional adult (Age 18 and up, currently or previously working in paid capacity as an artist)
Submission requirements & rules
City of Carmel America 250 Poster submissions must be:
- Original work and not previously exhibited
- Suitable for public display, reproduction, and large-scale exhibition
- Keeping with the suggested or similar themes
- From a resident of Carmel
- Any visual art medium that meets the size layout requirements outlined below (digital, illustration, painting, mixed media, collage, etc.) no greater than 24 inches wide by 36 inches high
Artificial intelligence (AI) & original work requirement
For this contest, submissions must be original works created by a human artist and may not include generative AI content. This includes but is not limited to text-to-image, image-to-image, generative fill/expand, style transfer and automated “create an image/design” function. The use of standard digital design software for non-generative functions such as, color correction, layering, vector drawing, and typography is still permitted.
General
The City of Carmel reserves the right, at any time and without prior notice, to cancel, modify or suspend the contest and amend any rules, terms, and conditions.
To access the contest submission form and view the contest guidelines, click here.