News Release

sPark Creativity Art Contest

The park wants you to show off your artistic expression and creativity.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: April 4, 2022

Contact: Karen Weaver, [phone] ext. 332

National parks have inspired artistic expression and creativity for generations. For National Park Week, we're asking you to create an original piece of art to highlight how the arts – visual, musical, literary, and more – help us connect with Palo Alto Battlefield and other national parks.

Entries can include paintings, stories, photos, sculptures, music, or other art forms. Literary submissions are limited to 500 words, typed or hand-written, and must include a title.

Entry deadline is April 17, 2022, at 4 p.m. CST.

Contest Guidelines

Who can enter?
Open to everyone of all ages. You may enter individually or as a group.

How many times can I enter?
You may only submit one entry. If you are in a group entry, you may also submit as an individual.

What is not accepted?
The following will be disqualified:

• Entries with commercial representations as their primary subject and/or reproduction of copyright material or trademarks.
• Entries with inappropriate content.

How will entries be judged?
Entries will be judged based on theme expression, originality, creativity, and how well the submission addresses this year’s contest theme. Judges will include park staff, volunteers, and community members.

Entry categories:

• 8 years old and under
• 9 to 13 years old
• 14 to 18 years old
• 18 and older

What should submissions include?
A valid submission will contain the following:

• The original artwork: Do not include any personal information on your submission except for the artist's signature, if applicable.
• Short description of your artwork.
• A completed and signed entry form for either:
  • Individual & Group Form (PDF 131 KB)
    • If under 18, a parent or guardian must sign
  • Teacher Form (PDF 128 KB)

How to submit.
You can e-mail us your entry.

Drop it off in person at:

Palo Alto Battlefield Visitor Center
7200 Paredes Line Rd.
Brownsville, TX 78526

Or mail to:

Palo Alto Battlefield NHP
ATTN: Art Contest
600 E. Harrison St., Rm. 1006
Brownsville, TX 78520

Winners will be notified via email. Winning entries and a selection of other entries will be displayed in the Palo Alto Visitor Center from Saturday, April 23, 2022 through Sunday, May 1, 2022. Artwork must be picked-up by Sunday, May 1, 2022, at 4 p.m. Remaining artwork may be discarded.

Disclaimer: By submitting an entry, an entrant agrees to allow the National Park Service to use his or her name to post on the Palo Alto National Historical Park’s webpage and social media pages, without compensation. All entries and all rights of ownership in and to the entries, including all rights to use, reproduce, publish, modify, edit, and distribute the same will become the exclusive property of NPS and will not be returned. NPS reserves the right to edit, modify, copyright, publish, use, and reproduce any and all entries without further compensation. The NPS, its agents and contractors, are not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, incomplete, or postage-due entries.