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Western Maryland Blues Fest seeking artists for poster contest


HAGERSTOWN, MD. >> The Western Maryland Blues Fest goes beyond the music to celebrate the arts, including visual art. The Western Maryland Blues Fest (WMBF) committee and the Washington County Arts Council (WCAC) are seeking submissions to select the upcoming 2016 Blues Fest poster artist. All artists who would like to be considered for this honor will need to submit their work by noon on Nov. 13.

The winning original artwork is commissioned by both the WCAC and the City of Hagerstown. It is seen on posters, advertisements, event merchandise, programs, and other promotional material. In addition, the artist is invited to display his or her body of artwork for a month-long exhibit at the Washington County Arts Council, with an opening reception the first evening of the four-day festival.

"This is significant exposure for the selected artist," explains Mary Anne Burke, executive director of the WCAC. "The Western Maryland Blues Fest is promoted throughout the Baltimore and Washington, D.C.-metropolitan area, and thousands of people who attend the event will see the artwork. This is a tremendous opportunity for any artist."

"Other than some general guidelines, the selection committee doesn't have any pre-conceived notions regarding what artwork we would like to see submitted," adds Carl Disque, founder and event chair for the WMBF. "We simply want to be inspired by each individual's unique sense of creativity, and we will select the piece that stands out and sets the tone for the festival."

A raffle will also be conducted for the original piece throughout the festival to help raise funds for the Blues Fest. Artists who submitted their work in the past are encouraged to re-submit their pieces this year for consideration. To view previous artwork, see: https://blues-fest.org/poster-artwork/.

Interested artists are encouraged to submit up to three entries that will be reviewed by the WMBF committee and the WCAC. Images must be submitted in a JPEG format and files should be labeled: "Last Name, First Name, and Title of Work." Artists can email images to gallerymanager@washingtoncountyarts.com and include their full name, address, telephone, and email address. Artists can also send a CD of their images marked with their names to:

For a copy of the official guidelines and for more information visit: www.blues-fest.org, call the Washington County Arts Council at 301-791-3132 or email the gallery manager at gallerymanager@washingtoncountyarts.com.