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Spotlight on the Arts 2024 Art Contest
sponsored by Capital One Hall

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Art Contest Winners

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New York Life Grand Prize

Michele Holzman Stark - Autumn Song - 2.23.24 YES AUCTION

Autumn Song by Michele Holzman Stark   

2nd Prize

Kate Eustice - Acadian Winter - 2.23.24 YES Auction

Acadian Winter by Kate Eustice

3rd Prize

Elizabeth Lederer - Waugh Church 2.15.24 NO Auction

Waugh Church by Elizabeth Lederer

Congratulations to the Prize  Winners in Spotlight on the Arts’ inaugural Art Contest!  Out of nearly 240 entries, 20 finalists’ art pieces were selected and displayed at Spotlight’s Opening Reception on April 26.   The top three art submissions were voted upon by attendees of our Reception. Thank you to all who participated in our art contest this year.  We look forward to seeing your new creations in 2025!

Prizes

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Art Contest Finalists
  • 1st Place: $1,000
  • 2nd Place: $500
  • 3rd Place: $250

Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts is seeking to support local artists in the Central Fairfax region, enhance awareness of the visual arts, and encourage emerging artists in our community by hosting an annual Art Contest open to any artist in the Central Fairfax region.

Participating artists will enter original works of art and be eligible for prize money awarded at the annual Spotlight on the Arts Festival Opening Reception on Friday, April 26, 2024.  The contest is open to everyone with no age limitation. 

The Spotlight on the Arts Board will select a total of twenty (20) finalists from the total pool of submissions, and the finalists will then be eligible for the top three prizes.  The artwork of the twenty finalists will be displayed at the Opening Reception and will be offered for sale via a silent auction that evening. [Artists may opt out of the silent auction.]

The Art Contest prize winners will be selected by ballots cast by attendees at the Opening Reception. Prizes will be awarded based on the number of votes cast for the various works of art.  The entry receiving the most votes will be awarded a prize of $1000.  Second place will receive $500, and third place will receive $250.   

  • The contest is open to artists of all age
  • There is no fee to enter your submission
  • All submissions must be received by 4:00 p.m., April 1, 2024
  • Finalists will be notified by 4:00 p.m., April 8, 2024
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Silent Art Auction Rules

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  • Artists have the option to exclude their submission from the silent auction and can retain ownership of their artwork. The artwork will be sold by silent auction at the Opening Reception with the artists receiving 75% of the auction sale price and Spotlight on the Arts receiving the remaining 25%. The opening bid for each work at the silent auction will be $50 with incremental bids of $10.
  • The silent auction will begin online one week before the opening reception.
  • There is no guarantee of sale and any unsold submissions will be returned to the artist.
  • The silent auction will conclude at the end of the reception when attendees are ushered upstairs prior to the live performance portion of the program. Winners of the silent auction will be notified at the conclusion of the live performance program.

Art Contest Rules

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  • The art contest is open to any individual. There are no age limitations.
  • All entries must be an original work of art created solely by the participating artist.
  • Artists may only submit one work of art.
  • Each individual submission will be judged based on artistic quality, creative content, and the completeness of the submission.
  • The Spotlight in the Arts Board will review and select twenty (20) finalists from the submitted entries. [The Board retains the right to increase or decrease the number of finalists depending upon the number of entries submitted.]
  • Submitted artwork must be able to be present and displayed at the Opening Reception on Friday, April 26, at Old Town Hall in the City of Fairfax.
  • Each artist will receive a complimentary ticket to the Opening Reception and a ballot.
  • Ballots for the top three prize winners will be cast by attendees of the Opening Reception.
  • Additional ballots may be purchased in advance or at the door on the night of the Opening Reception. Individuals can purchase a maximum of six (6) additional ballots.
  • The entry that receives the most votes will be awarded a prize of $1,000. The entry that receives the second most votes will be awarded a prize of $500, and the third place winner will receive a prize of $250.
  • Prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the Opening Reception.
  • Board Members of Spotlight on the Arts or members of their immediate family are ineligible to participate in the Art Contest.
  • Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts retains the right to use any image of any artwork submitted on the Spotlight on the Arts website and/or for future promotional purposes.
  • Artwork will be deemed inappropriate and disqualified if it portrays content which violates copyright or other known legal ownership interest; profanity, obscenity, indecency, violence, pornography; discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality; defamation or personal attacks.
  • By accepting the prize, the winner agrees to release and hold Spotlight on the Arts, Capital One Hall, and ASM Global and affiliates harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, rights, claims, actions and liabilities of any kind in connection with the Contest or receipt or redemption of the prize. The winner assumes all liability for any injury caused, or allegedly caused, by participating in the Contest or use or redemption of the prize.
  • Spotlight on the Arts reserves the right to delay or reschedule, cancel or reissue this Art Contest for any reason it deems necessary.
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Art Contest Sponsorship

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Thank you for becoming a sponsor of Spotlight’s Inaugural Art Contest! We have four Sponsorship Levels from which to select:

Premier Art Contest Sponsor ($2,000) - Sponsored by Capital One Hall

Benefits include:

  • 2024 Art Contest Naming Rights
  • Branding on all Art Contest materials
  • Special recognition at the Opening Reception
  • Special recognition in the Opening Reception program
  • Premier branding on all 2024 Spotlight on the Arts materials
  • Premier branding on the Spotlight on the Arts Website
  • Premier branding on all 2024 Spotlight Supporter Communications
  • Five (5) tickets for the Spotlight Opening Reception
  • Ten (10) ballots for selecting the prize-winning art submissions

Grand Prize Sponsor ($1250) - Sponsored by New York Life

Benefits include:

  • 2024 Naming Rights of the Grand Prize
  • Branding on all Art Contest materials
  • Special recognition at the Opening Reception
  • Special recognition in the Opening Reception program
  • Special recognition on the Spotlight on the Arts Website
  • Special recognition on the Summer Spotlight Supporter Communication
  • Four (4) tickets for the Spotlight Opening Reception
  • Eight (8) ballots for selecting the prize-winning art submissions

Second-Place Sponsor ($600)

Benefits include:

  • 2024 Naming Rights of the Second-Place Prize
  • Branding on all Art Contest materials
  • Recognition at the Opening Reception
  • Recognition in the Opening Reception program
  • Recognition on the Spotlight on the Arts Website
  • Recognition in the Summer Spotlight Supporter Communication
  • Four (4) tickets for the Spotlight Opening Reception
  • Six (6) ballots for selecting the prize-winning art submissions

Third-Place Sponsor ($300)

Benefits include:

  • 2024 Naming Rights of the Third-Place Prize
  • Branding on all Art Contest materials
  • Recognition at the Opening Reception
  • Recognition in the Opening Reception program
  • Recognition in the Summer Spotlight Supporter Communication
  • Two (2) tickets for the Spotlight Opening Reception
  • Four (4) ballots for selecting the prize-winning art submissions
Yes, I want to Sponsor the Art Contest!
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Art Contest Ballots

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Voting by ballot will only take place at the Opening Reception at Old Town Hall on Friday, April 26 at 7 pm. An Opening Reception ticket, which includes one voting ballot, may be purchased below.

In addition, sponsors and individuals may also purchase up to six (6) ballots in advance of the Opening Reception or at the door.

The following ballot packages are available:

Vincent Van Gogh Package (value = $16.66 per ballot)

  • 6 ballots
  • $100

Mary Cassatt Package (value = $17.50 per ballot)

  • 4 ballots
  • $70

Georgia O’Keefe Package (value = $18.33 per ballot)

  • 4 ballots
  • $55

Rembrandt Package (value = $20 per ballot)

  • 2 ballots
  • $40

Individual Ballot (value = $25 per ballot)

  • $25
Purchase Ballots Here (Coming Soon)
Purchase Opening Reception Ticket

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