Just Society Art Contest Entries Due Oct. 1
High school seniors attending any public, private, or home school in St. Mary’s County are invited to enter original art pieces in the annual St. Mary’s County Just Society Art Contest.
The contest is held in coordination with the biennial Maryland Emancipation Day ceremony, being held at the Old Jail Museum in Leonardtown on November 1, 2023, at 4pm. The special celebration of equity and justice will feature the unveiling of brass “stopping stones” to commemorate five local freedom seekers who risked their lives attempting to escape bondage in St. Mary’s County in the 1800s.
Students are invited to produce a unique piece of art which represents the power and value of freedom in a just society. Art will be judged in three categories (visual, language, and performance) and winners will be announced at the November 1 ceremony. A cash prize (for use by the student on their future artistic endeavors), sponsored by local organizations, will be given to the winner of the officially judged portion of the contest, as well as to the winner of the People’s Choice award, given to the piece that receives the most votes from the public.
Students interested in entering their art should email the contest committee at [email protected] for more information, including deadlines, guidelines for art submissions, and other materials or for help with ideas on their pieces. Students are also invited to visit the Old Jail Museum in Leonardtown (free admission; open daily from 10am to 5pm) to learn more about the Freedom Seekers and to gain more information and inspiration for their artistic submissions.
Contest entries are due to the Old Jail Museum by 5pm October 1, 2023, so judging can commence. The public will be invited to vote on the pieces starting October 2 by visiting the Old Jail Museum to view the art and then vote in person for their favorite.
The contest and event are presented by the St. Mary’s County Museum Division, Friends of St. Clement’s Island and Piney Point museums, Unified Committee on Afro-American Contributions (UCAC), St. Mary’s County NAACP #7025, St. Mary’s Ryken High School, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project, and several others.
