The National Park Service and associates from the International Year of Caves and Karst (IYCK) are hosting an art competition to commemorate the International Year of Caves and Karst, which will take place in 2021. The nation and the world celebrate these magnificent geological formations from January to December. The art competition’s theme is “Discover what’s under your National Park.” This competition is open to people from all age groups and gives you an opportunity to discover the origins of Cave and Karst through art and allows you to sketch out your interpretation of it.
The International Year of Caves and Karst Art Contest 2021’s purpose is to bring back to life these lost art forms and to propagate and increase awareness about them amongst everyone. Karst refers to caves and associated landforms such as sinkholes, springs, and sinking streams. Karst may be present in places around the world where rocks melt naturally. Whether you live near granite, marble, gypsum, or rock salt, you might be in karst. Karst can be found all over the United States, but it is particularly popular in the eastern states of Indiana, Missouri, Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Hundreds of uncommon animal species live in karst springs and watersheds, which provide 20% of the world’s drinking water. All from Lucy, our ancient Australopithecine ancestor, and the Dead Sea Scrolls to large quantities of Mayan artefacts originated from within caves, so caves have played an important part in interpreting human history. Every year, more than 150 million visitors explore caves in more than 100 countries. Yet, they seem unknown to many more. This is the thought process behind introducing this contest.
The National Park Service has been tasked with the management of national parks in the United States since 1916. They protect these unique places and share their experiences with more than 318 million visitors per year with the support of volunteers and partners. Their job, however, does not end there. The National Park Service protects the National Park System’s environmental and cultural resources and traditions for the recreation, education, and motivation of current and future generations. The National Park Service collaborates with other agencies to spread the benefits of natural and cultural resource management and outdoor recreation in the United States and throughout the world.
Table of Contents
Brief Description
The following table provides an overview of the entire scholarship:
| Organization | The National Park Service and International Year of Caves and Karst |
| Educational Level | All |
| Subjects | All |
| Amount | N/A |
| Access Mode | Online |
| Number of Awards | 3 |
| City | N/A |
| Nationality | Domestic |
| Country | United States |
| Application Deadline | June 12, 2021 |
| Application Fees | None |
| Requirement | Art Work |
Who May Be Eligible
The competition is open to anybody of any age who is interested. Originality, innovation, and how well the entry addresses the contest theme will be included when judging entries. To enter, you must be a native of the United States.
How to Apply
Candidates shall apply an artwork on the subject of “Discover what’s beneath your National Park” that portrays karst environments, caves, cave features, or cave-related habitats in your national park. Physical copies of the following must be mailed to any of the addresses mentioned here:
- Your personal information, printed on either the back of your artwork or on a separate sheet attached to your artwork:
- First and last name:
- Mailing address:
- Phone number:
- E-mail address:
- The artwork in its original form. Each entry must be exclusive, genuine, unpublished, the sole property of the entrant, and have never been entered into another competition. Be sure to describe your artwork in a sentence or two on your submission page.
- A completed and signed entry form. Click here to access the entry form.
Benefits
Four top entries in each age group will be selected including 1st Place, 2nd Place, 3rd Place, and Honorable Mention. The age groups are:
- 8 years old and under
- 9 to 13 years of age
- 14 to 18 years of age
- 18 and older
The winners of the regional contests will directly progress to the national competition. The same work of art will be judged at the state level. The artwork of the regional champion will be featured on national park websites.
Application Deadline
The applications are open till June 12, 2021. To be considered for this competition, please send your entries by then.
