Montgomery County, Md., High School Students Invited to Design Gaithersburg Book Festival 15^th Anniversary Program Cover

Contest Winner’s Original Artwork to be Featured on Program Distributed to Attendees and 100+ Featured Authors at May 18 Festival 

The Gaithersburg Book Festival is marking its 15^th anniversary with an art contest for high school students in Montgomery County, Md. Students are invited to submit original artwork on the theme of “celebrating 15 years of books, writers and literary excellence” by no later than Friday, December 1 at noon ET.  

The winning artwork – judged on originality, creativity and overall effect – will be featured on the cover of the 2024 Gaithersburg Book Festival program, which is available to festival goers, as well as more than 100 featured authors and illustrators from around the world. More than 2,500 Festival programs will be distributed, with the winning artist also being credited by name and title of the artwork anywhere the program cover image appears. The winning artist and their family will receive an invitation to the exclave author reception, preceding the Festival.

“The Gaithersburg Book Festival is not only renowned for the authors it attracts, but also award-winning illustrators and artists who express stories in images they create,” said Jud Ashman, Festival founder and chair, who also serves as Mayor of the City of Gaithersburg. "As we prepare for our 15^th Festival, we are proud to give students in our county the opportunity to express their creativity as they bring the mission of our Festival to life with their artwork.” 

Submission Guidelines:

- Only one submission per artist.

- Artist must be a high school student – grades 9-12, public, private or homeschooled, in the 2023-2024 school year – in Montgomery County, Md., at the time of entry.

- Note: The following, and their family members, are prohibited from participation in this contest: Employees of the City of Gaithersburg, City Council Members and all volunteers associated with the Gaithersburg Book Festival.

Key deadlines:

- Friday, December 1, 2023: Submissions must be received by noon. All submissions must be done online. Submit here.

- Friday, January 5, 2024: Notification of selection will be sent to students via email.

- Friday, April 26, 2024: Original artwork due to the Activity Center at Bohrer Park by 5 p.m., along with signed agreement.

Submitted artwork must:

- Be on the theme “celebrating 15 years of books, writers and literary excellence.”

- Be the creation of a single student. Students may not collaborate on an entry.

- Be two-dimensional, no larger than 11 inches high and 6 inches wide.

- Be done in accepted mediums:

- Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.

- Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)

- Computer-generated art

- Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums listed above, such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.

- Be wholly the original work of the entrant.

- Not be copied from any other source.

- Not have been previously used or otherwise distributed or disseminated in any media or format.

- Not be in the public domain.

- Not be in violation of trademark, copyright, or publicity right.

- Not include content that is inappropriate, offensive, pornographic, or otherwise unfit for dissemination or broadcast, as determined by the City of Gaithersburg in its sole discretion.

- Be submitted by or before the stated deadline (December 1, 2023, noon ET)

Up to 12 pieces of art will be selected as finalists. The finalists will have their artwork posted on the Gaithersburg Book Festival website prior to the Festival and will be displayed at the 15th Gaithersburg Book Festival, taking place May 18, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm.

Complete rules and regulations can be found on the GBF website. Questions can be emailed to Kathleen Benson at [email protected].