Highland Jazz and Blues Festival seeks student poster designs

April 07, 2024

The Highland Jazz and Blues Festival is seeking student artists (grades 11th and 12th in Caddo and Bossier Parish) to submit designs in a contest for the 20th Annual Highland Jazz and Blues Festival poster! There is a cash prize of $500 for the chosen artwork.  

Artwork submission details

Theme – Jazz & Blues Music Festival: Be creative, we would like to see an artist’s take on OUR festival. We are celebrating our 20th Anniversary this year.  

Eligibility: Student artists must reside in Caddo or Bossier Parish and can be either a Junior or Senior in high school. Student artists may submit multiple entries. 

Entries: Only ORIGINAL artwork created specifically for the 20th Annual Highland Jazz and Blues Festival poster contest will be considered.  

Artwork must be in an 11 x 17 inch, vertical format, having a 1:1.5 ratio. Original artwork may be larger than 11×17, for example, 18 x 24 or 22 x 34 but must maintain a 1: 1.5 ratio for printing purposes. The printed poster size will be 11 x 17. Original Artwork should not be smaller than 11 x 17. Artwork may be completed in any media, including digital and computer graphics.  

Artwork requirements

The words “20th Annual Highland Jazz and Blues Festival” should appear somewhere in the artwork, but do not have to be the focal point.  

A bluebird should also appear somewhere on the poster. The bluebird is the mascot for the festival, named Jazzy. 

Lastly, it must include the date and location: Saturday, September 14, 2024, Columbia Park, Shreveport, LA 

Use of 3-dimensional media such as collage or low-relief sculpture is acceptable, however, it should photograph well and enhance the overall quality of the poster. 

Copyrighted, trademarked products, packaging, brand names and advertisements may not be used within the poster. Note: The winning entry becomes property of the Highland Area Partnership dba Highland Jazz and Blues Festival and the artist agrees to allow for the sale and reproduction of the original artwork.  

ENTRIES ARE DUE BY 10PM SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2024. 

Submitting artwork

Submitting your entry: Artists must fill out this Google Form and upload their artwork here: https://forms.gle/BVx32epeasnZgWBb9.

Artwork is to be submitted in digital formats (JPG, PNG, or PDF formats including vector). 

Name the file: YOUR NAME for ease of cataloging the entries. If there are more than one entry per artist add a number to each additional submission. Example; YOURNAME, YOURNAME2, YOURNAME3, etc. 

Judging and winner selection

The entries will be judged on the following criteria: 

  • ​​Visual appeal – Overall Impact 

  • Artistic Interpretation of the theme 

  • Marketability 

  • Features the words “20th Annual Highland Jazz and Blues Festival” and features a bluebird.​

The Highland Area Partnership dba Highland Jazz and Blues Festival poster selection committee reserves the right to alter the final poster design (add sponsor logos, dates and other information that may be necessary for printing and sale of the winning design) in collaboration with the submission artist. The committee will strive to ensure that the overall artistic integrity of the winning piece is maintained. 

Winner will be notified by May 15, 2024 and official artwork will be revealed to the public at the Official Highland Jazz and Blues Announcement Party in late June. Winner will receive: $500.00, 2 VIP passes to the festival, poster and festival swag. 

Photos in this article provided by the Highland Jazz & Blues Festival. Images by Casey Habich Photo & Design.