The Youth Arts in the Parks (YAP) 2022 Appalachian Spring Wildflower Art Contest opened on December 1, 2021. The goal of this annual competition- held by the National Park Service- is to celebrate ecology through art.
“Through this program and the April art exhibit at Tamarack and online, students have the opportunity as community leaders to raise awareness of Appalachia’s natural diversity and parks,” said contest creators. “Their works inspire community connections to local ecology and outdoor stewardship. Participants may also have the opportunity to explore the business of art and its role in economic development.”
This contest is open to all K-12 grade students in Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh and Summers Counties. Youth can enter one piece of art in two categories: handmade wildflower art and digital wildlife art created on a computer.
The work of the finalists will be displayed in a spring exhibit at Tamarack, we well as online.
Pieces can be entered online until February 8, 2022.
Current contest rules, the list of accepted wildflower and wildlife species, online entry procedures and a link to the entry platform are available here. Other accessible resources include photo references and past exhibits.