DEAR TEACHERS,

The 9th Annual Jackson International Food and Art Festival is excited to invite Jackson / Madison County students to participate in its art and poetry contest. This year’s JIFAF will take place on September 23rd at the Jackson Fairgrounds. The festival theme is “The Heartbeat of Jackson.” Submitted art works and poetry should deal with JIFAF’s mission “to spread cultural awareness, promote cross-cultural engagement, and celebrate the diverse backgrounds of residents throughout West Tennessee.”

Art Contest Guidelines

Following are a few prompts that might inspire creativity for students interested in participating in the art contest!

  • Make a picture depicting a favorite cultural activity.

  • Make a picture sharing how our community promotes the sharing of cultures.

  • Make a picture highlighting something about our community for someone who has never visited Jackson.

  • Make a picture reflecting your family’s cultural heritage.

  • Make a picture illustrating an important part of your identity.

CONTEST DEADLINE: Works should be dropped off at the Jackson Arts Council Office, 314 East Main, Jackson, TN between noon and 4:00 by September 15. If you have questions regarding where the Arts Council is located, please call their office at 731-423-2787.

CONTEST GUIDELINES:

Art submission requirements:

• 11x14 sturdy paper OR thin canvas panels

• Paper should be sturdy and suitable to medium used (watercolors, acrylic, charcoal, pastels, or pencils)

• Art should communicate a positive theme

• Work should be submitted unframed

Please attach the following information to each art submission:

1. Child’s name

2. Age

3. Grade

4. School

5. Contact number/email

6. Parent or guardian’s name

CATEGORIES FOR PRIZES:

Grade K-5

Grade 6-8

Grade 9-12

First prize of $75, second prize of $50, and third prize of $25 will be awarded to winners in each category. The works will be framed and displayed in the Children’s Art Activity Area at the Jackson International Food and Art Festival. Winners will receive additional publicity and recognition from the Jackson Arts Council. If you have questions or need more information, please feel free to contact Jean Marie Walls (jwalls@uu.edu).

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Poetry Contest Guidelines

The topics are virtually unlimited, but here are a few sample prompts to help inspire students interested in participating in the poetry contest!

  • Write a poem based on a family recipe. What are the ingredients? What does it look, smell, and taste like? Who are the people who make this dish? Who are the people who enjoy it? Is it a dish for a special occasion in your family or culture?

  • What’s a special memory you have from an experience with your family or community? What makes it special?

  • Write a poem describing your hometown to someone who’s never been there.

  • How did you get here? How did you come to be? What are the events and who are the people who have brought you into being?

  • Devise your own topic! Perhaps consider the JIFAF theme and its mission.

CONTEST DEADLINE: Poems must be emailed by 5:00 p.m. Friday, September 15, 2023.

CONTEST GUIDELINES:

· Poems will be judged in 3 categories: K-5th, 6th-8th, 9th-12th.

· The maximum length is 35 lines.

· Two submissions per student maximum.

· First prize of $75, second prize of $50, and third prize of $25 will be awarded to winners in each category. Their poems will also be displayed in the Children’s Activity Area at the JIFAF.

· Winners will receive additional recognition from the Jackson Arts Council.

TO SUBMIT: Email your poem(s) to <<grichard@uu.edu>> with the subject line JIFAF POEM CONTEST plus YOUR LAST NAME. Include the following student information for each submission:

Student’s Name

Age

Grade

School Contact Number/Email

Parents or Guardian’s Name

Entries will be anonymized before judging. If you are a teacher submitting on behalf of a large class, you may send multiple submissions to the e-mail above, as long as there is a clear correlation between the submission and the student information.

If you have questions or need more information, please contact Dr. Gavin Richardson <<grichard@uu.edu>>

Happy writing!