West Chicago banners to promote healthy lifestyles
Dovetailing with a communitywide wellness initiative, Healthy West Chicago, the West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission has announced the theme for the 2015 Community Banner Art Project as "A Picture of Health."
The commission invites accomplished and emerging artists with a connection to West Chicago - through residence, work or school, or living in the Chicago area - to submit up to three digital files of original art for consideration for the Community Banner Project competition.
The deadline for entries is Dec. 12. An entry may have up to three. jpeg images at 72 ppi measuring 7 inches high and 5 inches wide. All files should be numbered and named with the artist's last name and first name.
All media are welcome, with no limitation to technique or subject matter, as long as the theme revolves around the artist's view of A Picture of Health. An independent juror not affiliated with the city or the West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission will select the works of art anonymously.
The chosen artwork will be transferred to 60-by-30-inch vinyl banners that will hang on street poles along Main Street in downtown West Chicago from May through September 2015. The commission hosts an artists' reception, produces a walking tour guide which maps the location of each banner, and sponsors a People's Choice Award for all banners selected.
Organizers hope for a "healthy" number of entries and a big display for next year.
"The commission hopes that the beautiful summer and fall weather that naturally lends itself to more outdoor activity and availability of farm-to-table foods will inspire some wonderful opportunities for creative interpretations of A Picture of Health", said Rosemary Mackey, West Chicago staff liaison for the Cultural Arts Commission. "The earlier deadline will help with the commission's ability to plan for what it hopes will be a larger number of banners next spring."
Applications are available at www.westchicago.org under Forms. For questions about the 2015 Banner Art Project, contact the West Chicago City Museum at (630) 231-3376 or museum@westchicago.org.