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Multi-Media Youth Arts Contest

 

The 2012-13 contest theme is:

Be a Disciple! Put Two Feet of Love in Action.


Participate in the Contest in 5 Easy Steps!

Young Artists (Artistas Jóvenes) Contest Packet

Educators (Educadores) Contest Packet

Diocesan Coordinators Contest Packet

Frequently Asked Questions about the Multi-Media Youth Contest

What is the Multi-Media Youth Contest?
What is the Catholic Campaign for Human Development?
What is the goal of the contest?
How does the contest work?
Are only certain forms of art eligible?
What are the contest rules?
What is this years contest theme?
What grade levels can participate?
When does the contest take place?
Is there a contest deadline?
What is the prize?
What criteria are used to judge entries?
Can I see what types of entries have won the contest in the past?
Will my entry be returned?
How does a school or parish participate?
How can an individual participate?
How can I find out if my diocese is participating?
If my diocese is not participating, can I still enter the contest?
I know a school, parish, or individual that might want to participate. Are promotional materials available to give to others?

What is the Multi-Media Youth Contest?

The CCHD Multi-Media Youth Contest is a tool to engage young people in grades 7-12 in learning about poverty in the U.S., its root causes, and faith-inspired efforts to address it, especially through the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. The contest receives support from RCL Benziger, publisher of Catholic religious education materials for parishes, schools and families since 1792.

What is the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD)?

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development, or CCHD, is the domestic anti-poverty program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Since 1970, CCHD has worked to encourage 1) empowerment and participation of poor and low-income persons to address the causes of poverty, and 2) education and involvement of Catholics in the U.S. in this effort.

What is the goal of the contest?

Through the contest, young people learn about poverty, its causes, and our faith response and then become educators themselves as they use their art to creatively communicate what they have learned.

How does the contest work?

Schools, parishes, and individuals use the contest materials to help students learn about poverty, its causes, and our faith response, and then students create multi-media work based on what they have learned. The work is not submitted to the national office directly, but is rather sent to the diocesan CCHD office or other sponsoring diocesan office for local judging. The diocesan office then sends one winner per age category to the national competition.

Are only certain forms of multi-media eligible?

Any form of multi-media work is welcome. For example, short stories, PowerPoint presentations, videos, songs, painting, drawing, photography, and drama are all eligible for the contest.

What are the contest rules?

  1. Young people living in the United States in grades 7-9 and 10-12 are eligible to participate in the contest.

  2. All work to create the entry (such as video editing, script writing, musical composition, typing, page layout, formatting, etc.) must be completed by the contestant himself or herself.

  3. Each entry must be the original work of the student or team of students submitting the artwork. If the artist wishes to use material that is copyrighted by someone else (such as a song or web photo as part of a PowerPoint presentation or a cut-out picture from a magazine), he or she can only do so if written permission has been granted for its use. This written permission must be submitted with the entry.

  4. An official Contest Entry Form must be attached securely to the work.

  5. Visual arts entries (such as paintings or drawings, etc.) should be no larger than 24 x 36 inches. This includes the mat or board. On the back of the artwork, please provide a means for hanging the art on a wall.

  6. Audio-visual entries (such as music or video) must not exceed seven (7) minutes in length. A list of the names of all people who appear in a video must be included. Entries must be submitted via CD or DVD. Audio entries must include a print-out of the lyrics.

  7. Literature entries (poetry, prose, short story, drama, essay, etc.) can be fiction or non-fiction. Non-fiction entries that cite facts must include standard citations. Entries, not to exceed 2,000 words, must be written in English and submitted on one side only of 8  x 11 inch paper. Pages should be numbered, typed or neatly written, with the student's name written on the back of each page.

  8. All entries must reflect grade-appropriate grammar and spelling.

What is this year's contest theme?

The 2012-13 contest theme is: Be a Disciple! Put Two Feet of Love in Action.

What grade levels can participate?

Persons can participate who are in grades 7-9 or 10-12 and who live in one of the fifty United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico.

When does the contest take place?

Contest materials come out each year in late spring or early summer. Schools, parishes, and individuals are welcome to begin using the materials at that time. Many schools and parishes choose to introduce the contest at the beginning of the school year in September or at the start of the New Year in January.

Is there a contest deadline?

The annual national deadline is March 31. This is the deadline by which a diocese must submit a single winner from each age level (grades 7-9 and 10-12) to the national office. Therefore, dioceses usually set a local deadline in advance of the March 31 national deadline. Participating schools, parishes, and individuals should contact their diocesan CCHD representative or sponsoring diocesan office to find out if there is an earlier local deadline.

What is the prize?

Diocesan offices may or may not choose to award prizes for local winners before sending artwork of local winners to compete at the national level. The national CCHD office will select contest winner(s) at the national level. The National Grand Prize winner will receive a $500 cash award and a $500 gift to be designated in the winners name to a CCHD-funded group of the winners choice. The grand prize winner will be awarded this prize at the annual conference sponsored by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, with all expenses paid for the winner and an accompanying adult to attend the awards ceremony. Second ($375) and third ($250) prizes and honorable mentions, including a monetary prize and matching grant for a CCHD-funded group, may also be awarded for each age category. In addition, the national winners’ schools or parishes will receive a $500, $250, or $150 gift certificate (for grand prize, 2nd place, and 3rd place, respectively), from RCL Benziger.

What criteria are used to judge entries?

The ideal entry will exemplify the following qualities in the artwork itself or the accompanying contest entry form:

  1. Reflect artistic skill and creativity.
  2. Exhibit an understanding of the root causes of poverty, not just the symptoms. It should be clear that the artist understands that in addition to charitable works, work for social justice is needed to address the causes of problems faced by people living in poverty.
  3. Portray the poor as empowered persons capable of leading efforts for change in community as opposed to portrayal as victims.
  4. Illustrate that action to confront poverty is a response to our faith and the values of Catholic social teaching.
  5. Exhibit learning about CCHD's work and mission.

Can I see what types of entries have won the contest in the past?

Yes. You can view a gallery of recent winners. Please note that the forms of art deemed acceptable for entry in the contest has expanded in recent years.

Will my entry be returned?

No. Entry to this contest results in the transfer of copyright of all entries to USCCB/CCHD, and entries will not be returned. However, artists may be interested to know that CCHD and contest sponsor RCL Benziger use many of the entries as educational tools about poverty at conference exhibits and a variety of events around the country. Therefore, although your entry will not be returned to you, it may be used to inspire a national audience!

How does a school or parish participate?

A school or parish wishing to participate in the contest should consult the Contest Packet for Educators (Educadores).

How can an individual participate?

An individual wishing to participate in the contest should consult the Contest Packet for Young Artists (Artistas Jóvenes).

How can I find out if my diocese is participating?

First,  find the contact information for your diocesan CCHD representative. Contact that person to inquire about diocesan participation in the contest.

If my diocese is not participating, can I still enter the contest?

Yes. You can still participate in the contest even if your CCHD diocesan office is not organizing diocesan-wide involvement in the contest. Persons in this situation should contact Jill Rauh at the national CCHD office.

I know a school, parish, or individual that might want to participate. Are promotional materials available to give to others?

Yes. A flyer, brochure, text announcements, and a sample letter are available that you can pass on to those who might be interested in the contest. A bilingual flyer for educators in English and Spanish is also available.  A text announcement and advertisement are available in Spanish.

 

rcl-benzinger-logo-smallWith support from RCL Benziger. Founded in 1792, RCL Benziger is  a long-respected publisher of Catholic religious education materials for schools, parishes and families.



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