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Art Beat 2025 Poster Design Contest

CONTEST DETAILS

Art Beat is a one day celebration of the performing, visual, and culinary arts, located right in the heart of downtown South Bend. Each year, a new commemorative poster is designed for this event, and that design is featured on all of the event’s marketing materials – posters, flyers, t-shirts, programs, billboards, etc.

This year, a design contest is being held for the commemorative poster. The winner will receive $250 and more importantly, their name will appear on all of the marketing materials mentioned above. This is a great way to gain recognition and attention. Plus – how exciting would it be to see your artwork up on a billboard or on t-shirts?

ENTRY GUIDELINES 

  • The contest is open to artists of any age – students through adult – and any skill level. This includes Art Beat artists, and Art Beat Committee members – as the Art Beat Committee is comprised of many Art Beat artists, and their volunteer work for this event does not prohibit them from taking part in all opportunities available to other local artists.​

  • Entries must contain original artwork.​

  • The artwork needs to be created in a vertical design, in the following size: 18″ x 24″.​

  • Entries should not contain any words, dates, etc. (including the words “Art Beat”). This content is added by our designer later.​

  • Entries can be submitted electronically (preferred) or original artwork can be dropped off to the DTSB offices (217 S. Michigan St., in the same building as The Pigeon & The Hen Pottery). Original artwork can be picked up once the judging is completed.​​

  • Entries which do not meet this criteria will be sent back with an invitation to resubmit work that does fit the criteria and can be delivered by the deadline.

HOW TO ENTER

Fill out the form below, and attach up to 3 designs for consideration. The deadline for submissions is April 15.

JUDGING

  • We are seeking a design capturing the spirit of this annual event, and celebrates the various forms of the arts.​

  • Past commemorative posters are included below for reference. Many have featured a representation of visual, culinary, and performance arts in their design. You are welcome to do that, but it is not a requirement. When referencing past posters below, please keep in mind Art Beat details such as website and date should NOT be a part of the design. These were added later by a graphic designer.​

  • The deadline for submissions is April 15. The winner will be selected by a committee comprised of all Art Beat committee members, DTSB staff and volunteers and announced on or before May 1. All entries will be judged using the same criteria: creativity, composition, theme, technique, and adherence to the rules. Please keep all entry guidelines in mind when creating your artwork.

CONTACT

Email any questions, concerns, or suggestions to ArtBeatDTSB@gmail.com.

LEGAL NOTES

Those making submissions agree that Art Beat/Downtown South Bend retains all copyrights of the materials submitted. By submitting to the contest, the designer agrees to grant Art Beat/Downtown South Bend the right to publish, reproduce, diffuse, and communicate to the public in any form and platform, including digital, all or part of the design.

APPLICATION

ART BEAT 2024 POSTER DESIGN

Artist Statement

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Everything we see is art, therefore art is to see. From what I can see, art is more than a drawing, a painting, a sculpture or photo. Art is an umbrella that covers the various categories of expression, emotion, memory, imagination and creativity. In all of its awesome forms, we can find joy in art by exploring the endless definitions. I enjoy the basic elements of art while continuing to practice and improve in new art mediums. As a local artist, it’s inspiring to see so many others creatively participate and enjoy visual arts, music, food, and more. When designing the poster for Art Beat, my goal was to display the atmosphere that the event promotes. With its variety, vibrant color, family-friendly activities, and overall welcoming environment, Art Beat is a special gift to the community.

Artist Bio

DeShawn is better known by his nickname 2B. Fun fact – he is a triplet, and to help his mom identify the three babies the doctor marked him and his siblings in the computer 1A, 2B, & 3C. Everyone's been calling him 2B ever since!
At a very young age 2B picked up his first pencil and paper which opened the door to a world of creativity. As time progressed, so did his ability to draw in a more skilled fashion. Drawing became more than just a pastime. It transformed into a passion that would soon become a career choice.
In conversation with his mom, 2B once said, "Everything we see is art, therefore art is to see." He went on to say that even a blind person can see art because of the art of imagination.
Based out of South Bend, 2B's artwork began to catch the eyes of many friends and family. Kids in school would often ask for sketches, doodles, and drawings. Class projects were especially enjoyable for the young artist as he could use his creative side for almost every school subject. In 2006, The Robinson Community Learning Center of the University of Notre Dame put together a comic book addressing the issue of bullying in school. This comic was to teach students coping skills from the (TAKE TEN) violence prevention program, and 2B was privileged to be chosen as an artist for the project. That same year 2B was recognized by the South Bend Tribune and mentioned in the fall issue of a magazine titled Arts Everywhere, an initiative of the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County. Transitioning from Middle School to High School, 2B was one of two given the 8th Grade's President's Award as well as a Hoosier Art Award his Senior year.
Fast forwarding to more recent times, 2B has continued exploring new mediums of art and excelling in his creative talents. Along the road, he has done many tributes, commissions, and projects involving acrylic paint, watercolor, graphite drawings and digital illustrations. Several celebrities have also had 2B's art in their hands and have engaged with him on social media due to his artistic abilities. In 2016, 2B visited his first Comic Convention as a guest and made it a goal to participate as an artist soon after. Frequent comic conventions, gallery displays, and art fairs have built awesome connections and friendships for the artist. 2B has also shared in giving art tip sessions and motivation to others alongside local libraries and studios.

For 2B, art has become his full-time occupation. Behind the scenes he has been working on several other projects including works as an author, voice acting, and photography. Throughout his journey, 2B continues to find ways to improve and is always looking for new creative ways to build on his craft.

There's so much to explore under the umbrella of art. Join in on his journey!

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PAST COMMEMORATIVE POSTERS:

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Art Beat Comm Poster 2016_prf3.jpg
AB Commem print 8-15_prf1 (00000002)_Pag
PosterForRAS.jpg
Art Beat Comm Print poster 7-13_prf1.png
DTSB_Art Beat CommPrint 2012b_final.jpg
SBVPA Logo - Art Beat Site .webp
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EventSys Logo.png
U93 Logo.png
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574-282-1110
217 S MICHIGAN ST

SOUTH BEND, IN

SITE CREATED BY

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PHOTOS TAKEN AT DTSB EVENTS MAY BE USED IN FUTURE MARKETING MATERIALS

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