The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is injecting its annual dose of creativity into the North Texas region with the kick-off of its 2025 Student Art Contest. Now in its stately 28th year, it's calling on kindergarten through 12th-grade students to bring forth their original artworks. As per a report provided by the City of Carrollton website, the theme this year is "Fantastic Journeys Start on DART," nudging young minds to visualize travels and adventures ignited by public transit.
This annual artistic foray isn't just for kicks, it boasts perks including cash and prizes, not to mention the bragging rights of seeing one's art plastered on DART vehicles. Plus, there's a tidy $1250 grand prize up for grabs courtesy of the Advocate for the Best of Show winner across all submissions. Participants have until February 13, 2025, to submit their artwork, which can be in any form – from drawings to digital designs – as long as it fits the 11x17 inch requirement, and aligns horizontally.
A panel made up of transit agency officials and other judges will have the task of sifting through the submissions, which will be separated into four age group categories. As they deliberate over the entries, their goal will not only be to pick standouts based on artistic merit but also on how effectively the young artists interpret the contest theme. Winners will be announced come April 2025, with an awards ceremony set at the Dallas Museum of Art to put the victorious pieces in the limelight.
Jeamy Molina, DART's Executive Vice President, and Chief Communications Officer shared the enthusiasm, as per the City of Carrollton, "DART is thrilled to once again invite students to share their creativity with us in this fun and meaningful way," emphasizing the contest's role in both celebrating local artistic talent, and underlining public transit's part in linking people to life’s various journeys. This year's competition also gets some community and media support, including partners like Children’s Aquarium Dallas, Dallas Zoo, Perot Museum of Nature and Science, and media outlets such as NBC5 and The Dallas Morning News.
