2025 Holiday Art Competition

The 2025 Holiday Art Competition is jointly presented by The Delaplaine Arts Center and the Holiday Committee, a sub-committee of Celebrate Frederick Inc. The theme is a secular celebration of "The Holidays in Historic Frederick." Artwork should convey the winter wonderland that awaits locals and tourists during the winter months and should include recognizable symbols of Frederick such as architectural highlights (the Carillon, Schifferstadt, the Clustered Spires), people enjoying winter scenes on Patrick Street, East Street, or Market Street, the Carroll Creek Linear Park, and imagery of carolers, carriage rides, candlelight, and camaraderie. The selected artwork or portions of it will be used by Celebrate Frederick in promotional pieces for the upcoming year. The finished product may include logos and/or copy added by Celebrate Frederick as needed. Artwork should be reproducible in black and white.

All two-dimensional works in any medium are acceptable, including paintings, drawings, hand-pulled prints, etchings, collage, photography, and digital paintings. Submissions must be original in design and personal execution, unpublished commercially, and submitted as one high-resolution image. Imagery to avoid includes specific religious symbols, symbols strongly associated with one particular faith, and endorsements of specific downtown businesses; while these may not be refused from display and sale, they will not be considered suitable to the theme and will not be eligible for the grand prize. The entry fee is $20.00.

The competition will be judged in two rounds: first virtually through the online portal to determine accepted artworks, and second in person after installation to determine award recipients. Accepted artwork will be announced on November 7. The Judges' Choice Award winner receives $1,000 and will be announced during the reception on Wednesday, December 3, 5:30 to 7:00 pm at the Delaplaine Arts Center. The Barbara Maghan People's Choice Award is selected by popular vote that evening. Judges may also award a Judges' Special Award certificate. The Holiday Committee will retain exclusive commercial rights for two years for poster production and five years for other promotional pieces. All accepted artwork must be framed and wired to professional standards, delivered ready to hang. Artwork must be hand-delivered on Monday, November 17 or Tuesday, November 18, 2025, between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm, or shipped to arrive by November 18. Artwork not selected for extended display must be picked up between Thursday, December 4 and Monday, December 8. Artwork selected for the Community Outreach Gallery will remain on display December 6–28 and must be picked up on Sunday, December 28, 4:30 to 5:00 pm, or Monday, December 29, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.