Georgia Day Statewide Student Art Contest

Extra! Extra! Headlines in Georgia History

Through the Georgia Day art contests, students have the opportunity to investigate the role that a free press plays in informing the American people; as a marketplace for competing ideas; and in holding government and our leaders accountable to those who have elected them.

Students are encouraged to use their creativity to demonstrate their knowledge of the theme through art. Some ideas to consider:

Highlight important journalists, editors, or news entrepreneurs throughout the history of Georgia (ex. James Johnston, Sarah Hillhouse, Elias Boudinot, Henry Grady, Peyton Anderson).
Highlight the evolution of the press through various formats (ex. newspapers to radio to TV to online/social media).
Highlight the impact of Georgia-based news agencies/newspapers (ex. Cherokee Phoenix, Savannah Tribune, Atlanta-Journal Constitution, CNN, etc).
Highlight important stories in Georgia history through a “journalist’s lens” (ex. founding of the colony, Siege of Savannah, Sherman’s March, the Weeping Time, Civil Rights era activities, etc.)

Students are invited to submit an original creation focused on an important or influential person, event, or agency (newspaper, radio station, etc) connected to the history of the press in Georgia.

For additional information, ideas, and inspiration, refer to the digital resources available at https://georgiahistoryfestival.org/educators/.

Georgia Day Statewide Art Contest Guidelines

The Georgia Day Statewide Student Art Contest is now open! Enter here.

Guidelines for Creation:

The art contest is open to any individual student attending public, private, parochial, online, or home school in Georgia in grades K-12.
Entry is free and limited to one submission per student.
Art entries should be original, student-made work that does not infringe on copyrighted material.
The Statewide Student Art Contest will accept online submissions representing:
- Drawings
- Paintings
- Digital works
- Fine art photography
- Mixed media
- Sculpture

Guidelines for Submission:

Art must be submitted via the GHS website:
- as a high-resolution image or PDF document
  - Artwork images must be in .jpg or .png format.
- with up to three images per entry
  - If multiple photos are submitted, consider choosing close-ups or different angles to show dimension and/or scale of the piece.
- with an additional photo of the artist with their art
  - This image is considered separate from the image entries.
- With an artist statement to include
  - A title for the piece
  - Why the student chose to focus on the particular person, event, or agency.
- By submitting images to GHS, the submitter transfers the right to use or reproduce images of banners and other works of art, in part or in full, including images with people, in GHS publications, and on all GHS social media platforms.
Deadline for submission is January 23, 2025.

Guidelines for Judging:

Student art will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Integration of the Georgia History Festival theme
Creativity of interpretation
Visual impact

For the individual contest, a first, second, and third place winner will be selected in each of the elementary, middle, and high school categories.

Art contest winners will be announced via social media on Georgia Day, February 12, 2025.

All winners will receive a Certificate of Appreciation for their artwork and will be recognized in GHS publications and on social media. All first-place winners in the individual category will
receive an art kit.

Related Educator Resources

The Georgia Historical Society has created a collection of classroom resources designed to enhance student understanding of the history and role of newspapers and media in Georgia and America from the founding to today.

The resources include: