Call Description

Concept

The Holiday Art Competition is jointly presented by The Delaplaine Arts Center (the Delaplaine) and the Holiday Committee, a sub-committee of Celebrate Frederick Inc., a private, non-profit corporation working in partnership with the City of Frederick.

The theme for the competition is a secular celebration of “The Holidays in Historic Frederick.”

The artwork should be a way for people unfamiliar with Frederick to have an idea of the winter wonderland that awaits locals and tourists during the winter months.

The selected artwork, or portions of the artwork, will be used by Celebrate Frederick in several “The Holidays” promotional pieces for the upcoming year. The finished product may include logos and/or copy added by Celebrate Frederick as needed.

Accepted artwork will be announced on November 7. Artwork may be accepted for display just during the competition reception (see below) or both the reception and the Delaplaine’s Community Outreach Gallery throughout December.

The Holiday Art Competition reception will be held Wednesday, December 3, 5:30 to 7:00 pm, 2025, at the Delaplaine Arts Center and is open to the public.

The Holiday Committee will retain exclusive commercial rights for two years for the production of posters featuring the artwork and for five years for any other promotional pieces. Details will be arranged with the winning artist.

Judging

The competition will be judged in two rounds:

1. The first round will be conducted virtually through the Delaplaine’s online exhibit entry portal, with all judges working remotely and individually. This round will determine which artworks will be accepted for exhibition during the Holiday Art Competition reception (see below), as well as which of those will remain on display at the Delaplaine throughout December.
2. The second round will be conducted in person after the artwork has been installed, and these judges will confer with each other to make their decisions. This round will determine the recipients of the Judges’ Choice Award, and if applicable, the Judges’ Special Award.

Awards and Recognition

1. Accepted artwork will be announced on November 7. Artwork may be accepted for display just during the competition reception (see below) or both the reception and the Delaplaine’s Community Outreach Gallery throughout December.
2. The Holiday Art Competition reception will be held Wednesday, December 3, 5:30 to 7:00 pm, 2025, at the Delaplaine Arts Center and is open to the public.
3. Judges’ Choice: A prize of $1,000 will be awarded to the winning artist during the reception.
   • Judges’ Choice is based on artistic merit, ease of reproduction, exemplification of theme, and adherence to rules.
   • The chosen artwork, or segments of it, will be utilized in the upcoming year’s promotional campaign for “The Holidays in Historic Frederick”. The artist will be given credit wherever the artwork is used. As stated above, the Holiday Committee will retain exclusive commercial rights for two years for the production of posters featuring the artwork and for five years for any other promotional pieces. Details will be arranged with the winning artist.
   • After the exhibition, Celebrate Frederick will retain the winning artwork for no more than 30 days, during which time they will have a digital scan made. They will then arrange pick up with the artist, or if the artwork was purchased, with the Delaplaine on behalf of the buyer.
   • Celebrate Frederick will mail the prize check within 30 days of receipt of the winning artist’s W9. 
4. Barbara Maghan People’s Choice: A certificate will be awarded to the winning artist during the reception as selected by popular vote that evening.
5. Judges’ Special Award: Judges may choose to honor an artist with a Judges’ Special Award certificate recognizing exceptional artistic merit.

Dropoff, Display, and Pickup

1. All artwork accepted for exhibition is to be hand delivered to the Delaplaine at 40 S. Carroll Street in Frederick, MD on Monday, November 17, or Tuesday, November 18, 2025, between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm.
   • Alternatively, artwork may be shipped to the Delaplaine. However, shipped work arriving after November 18 will not be included.
2. The Delaplaine will insure the artwork from the time of delivery until the designated pick-up time (for an amount that shall not exceed the sale price less commission).
3. All accepted artwork will be on public display during the Holiday Art Competition reception (see above).
4. Artwork NOT selected to remain at the Delaplaine must be picked up no earlier than Thursday, December 4 and no later than Monday, December 8, during the Delaplaine’s regular open hours.
5. Artwork selected to stay at the Delaplaine for display in the Community Outreach Gallery will remain on exhibition there December 6–28, 2025. These pieces must be picked up on Sunday, December 28, 4:30 to 5:00 pm, or Monday, December 29, 2025, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. 
   • Any other pick-up arrangements must be made in advance by contacting Corey Frey, Delaplaine Exhibitions Manager, at 301-698-0656 ext. 108 or cfrey@delaplaine.org.
   • Any work left at the Delaplaine for longer than the designated pick-up dates may be disposed of at the Delaplaine's discretion.
   • Celebrate Frederick will retain the Judges’ Choice artwork as outlined above.

Application Requirements

Artist Information

• Artist Full Name
• City and Country of Residence
• Phone
• Email
• Social Media Links (optional)
• Website (optional)

Artwork Information

• Work Samples: 1 High Resolution image
• The theme for the competition is a secular celebration of The Holidays in Historic Frederick. The artwork should be a way for people unfamiliar with Frederick to have an idea of the winter wonderland that awaits locals and tourists during the winter months and should include recognizable symbols of Frederick. The selected artwork, or portions of the artwork, will be used by Celebrate Frederick in several The Holidays promotional pieces for the upcoming year. The finished product may include additional logos and/or copy added by Celebrate Frederick as needed and should be able to be reproduced in black and white.
• Imagery to avoid include specific religious symbols, symbols or imagery strongly or uniquely associated with one particular faith, and endorsements of specific downtown businesses (e.g., prominent display of a business name). While these may not be refused from the display and sale, they will not be considered suitable to the theme and will NOT be eligible for the grand prize.

Eligibility Criteria

Origin of Work 

• All artwork must be original in design and personal execution.
• Artworks must be the artist’s original work. No commercially made prints, giclees, or reproductions of an original work of art will be considered for exhibition.
• All pieces must be unpublished commercially. This does not prohibit artists from sharing images of their pieces on their personal social media accounts. 

Theme & Color

• The artwork should reflect the theme of “Holidays in Historic Frederick.” Key ideas to consider include fun, downtown, winter, happy, snow, and light.
• The artwork should incorporate recognizable symbols of Frederick. Imagery to consider featuring include but are not limited to: architectural highlights of the city, such as the Carillon, Schifferstadt, the Clustered Spires; people having fun in a winter or snowy depiction of Patrick Street, East Street, or Market Street; the Carroll Creek Linear Park; and carolers, carriage rides, candlelight, and camaraderie.
• Imagery to avoid include specific religious symbols, symbols or imagery strongly or uniquely associated with one particular faith, and endorsements of specific downtown businesses (e.g., prominent display of a business name). While these may not be refused from the display and sale, they will not be considered suitable to the theme and will NOT be eligible for the grand prize.
• The work should be able to be reproduced in black and white.

Media, Size, and Orientation

• All two-dimensional works in any medium are acceptable, including paintings, drawings, hand-pulled prints, etchings, collage, photography, digital paintings, etc.
• Judges will take into consideration the artwork’s suitability for reproduction in a vertical format poster. Works that are not the same dimensions as the poster will not be refused but, if chosen as winner, may be cropped and altered to fit.

Condition of Artwork at Dropoff, if Accepted

• All accepted work must be framed and wired to a professional standard, delivered ready to hang. NO SAWTOOTH HANGERS; they do not work with the Delaplaine’s professional hanging system. Wire should be affixed to the frame using D-ring or strap hangers in one smooth line. Please make sure that the picture hanging wire used is a suitable strength for the weight of your work. Framed work should be secured using offset clips and screws (works on canvas) or using points (flat works with backing board). ABSOLUTELY NO TAPE, DUCT TAPE, MASKING TAPE, OR OTHER UNSTABLE METHODS FOR SECURING WORK TO ITS FRAME.
• Accepted work may be refused because of framing.
• Unframed accepted work may be presented with finished, painted gallery-wrapped edges and wired for hanging.
• Label each work on the back in the top right-hand corner with the following information:
  • Artist name
  • Title
  • Medium
  • Sale price or not for sale (NFS) indication with insurance value
  • Preferred phone number
  • Email address