Poster Competition

The 2022 National Arts & Humanities Month poster design competition was open to artists for a chance to win a cash prize and have their artwork represent NAHM throughout the month of October. The theme is Championing the Creative Spirit and the competition aims to:

  • provide a platform for art-makers with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences,
  • envision National Arts & Humanities Month through the eyes of artists, and
  • connect artists with local arts agencies in their communities.

Congratulations to the Poster Competition winners!

Here are the top three National Arts & Humanities Month poster designs, as voted on by the public. Thank you and congratulations to everyone who entered! All entries can be viewed in the Poster Competition Gallery.

First Place

Uplifted

Drawing of people creating art, music, and drama surrounded by pink clouds. 'National Arts & Humanities Month 2022.'

Rey Velasquez Sagcal
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts
Baltimore, MD

Second Place

He(art) Teacher

Painting of a young person painting. Four other young people look on. 'National Arts & Humanities Month 2022'.

J.A. Medcalf
Illinois Arts Council Agency
Chicago, IL

Third Place

We Love Arts and Humanities!!

A group of people drawn in the colors of National Arts and Humanities Month, gather together and smile for a selfie.

Kitty Newcomb
Milwaukee Arts Board
Milwaukee, WI

Poster design entries were accepted between August 15 and September 6, 2022, and added to the Poster Competition Gallery. A panel of judges (see poster guidelines and judging criteria below) selected ten posters as finalists and public votes were collected September 15–30, 2022. The artists who created the designs with the three highest vote totals will receive cash prizes, and the design with the most votes will be featured throughout National Arts & Humanities Month.

Have questions? Contact Mandi Lee at [email protected].

Contest Timeline

  • All entries were due by September 6 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
  • Semi-finalists were announced by Americans for the Arts on September 15.
  • Public voting took place on this page between September 15 and September 30.
  • Online voting closed on September 30 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
  • Winners will be announced by Americans for the Arts on October 3.
  • Completed rubrics and feedback will be available upon request after October 3.

Poster Guidelines

  • Poster design must by 18” x 24” at a minimum of 300dpi with a trim dimension of 18” x 24”.
  • A ¼” bleed around all sides is permitted.
  • JPEG or PNG format
  • The following text must be included in the design:
    “National Arts & Humanities Month 2022”
  • The design must include the National Arts and Humanities Month logo
    The logo can be recreated by the artist or downloaded on the NAHM Resources page.
  • Posters can be created via any medium, but the submission must be digital.
  • Posters are encouraged to utilize any or all of the colors in the palette on page 2 of the NAHM branding guidelines (PDF download).
  • All entries must include a title.
  • One entry per person.

Judging Criteria

Each of the following elements will be judged on a scale of 1 to 5 points with “1” meaning emerging skill and “5” meaning expert skill. View the complete rubric.

  • Originality of Design
  • Clarity of Theme
  • Technical Application
  • Unique use of Text and Logo
  • Artistic Expression

Contest Rules

Copyright

The poster you will be submitting is an image of original artwork created by yourself or is artwork created by a designer/illustrator/photographer/artist who authorized you in writing to submit the image on their behalf. Images submitted by you do not violate the privacy rights, publicity rights, copyright, or other intellectual property rights of any person or entity. You may not post, distribute, or reproduce in any way any copyrighted material, trademarks, or other proprietary information without obtaining the prior written consent of the owner of such proprietary rights. Without limiting our rights, it is our policy to terminate all relations with any designer/artist/illustrator/photographer who infringes copyright upon our receipt of a notice of infringement from the copyright owner or the copyright owner's legal counsel.

Permissions

By submitting a poster, you grant to Americans for the Arts an irrevocable, royalty-free license to reproduce, publish, display, and distribute the poster as described above, including on or through any Americans for the Arts websites and social media platforms, and any other use related to Americans for the Arts. You also give Americans for the Arts permission to use your name and likeness in connection with the use of your poster as described.

Voting Rules

Individuals may only vote once. It is our policy to disqualify entries that violate voting restrictions.

General

Artists must be 18 years or older to participate and a resident of the United States or its territories, including the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There is no purchase or payment required to enter. Void where prohibited. Selections of winning posters are final. Americans for the Arts may modify the terms of, or cancel, the competition in its discretion.