Celebrate the Gulf holds first poster contest

BILOXI, Miss. – Organizers of the Celebrate the Gulf Marine Education Festival have announced they will have a poster contest for the first time since the festival’s inception in 1991.

Amateur and professional artists are encouraged to submit an original poster design that depicts the conservation or scenic qualities of Mississippi’s coastal resources for consideration as the event’s inaugural poster.

Celebrate the Gulf is put on by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and is held in conjunction with Art in the Pass. This year’s festivals will be held Saturday, April 11, 2015, at War Memorial Park in Pass Christian.

Rules:
• Artwork must be camera ready.
• No entry fee is required.
• Artist must be 13 years of age or older to participate.
• No size restrictions, but final print size will be approx. 16 X 20 inches.
• Each artist may submit up to two entries for consideration.
• Computer-generated art is NOT acceptable.
• Artwork should depict Mississippi’s coastal resources.
• Employees of the MDMR and their immediate family members are not eligible for the contest.
• The design must be suitable for poster reproduction and be in keeping with the family atmosphere of the festival.
• When submitted, the artwork must be sprayed with a fixative (if appropriate), covered with acetate or clear plastic wrap and be supported in front and back with corrugated or foam core board for protection.
• Entry deadline January 16, 2015, 5:00 pm.
• Each submission must be accompanied by a completed entry form, which is available at www.dmr.ms.gov.
• Entries and accompanying paperwork must be submitted to Jessica Rankin at the DMR, 1141 Bayview Avenue, Biloxi, MS 39530.
• The decision of the judges is final.
• Winning artwork will be unveiled in February.
• The winning artist must attend the festival and sign the posters on April 11, 2015, from 10am -2pm.
• All works of art submitted for this competition will become the sole property of the MDMR. The MDMR will also retain the right to use the artists’ names in any present and/or future promotional or educational activities.

For more information about this competition, please contact Jessica Rankin at Jessica.rankin@dmr.ms.gov or call her at (228) 374-5000.

The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting and conserving marine interests of the state by managing all marine life, public trust wetlands, adjacent uplands and waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial, recreational, educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at www.dmr.ms.gov.