As the countdown to the Woodstock 1969 Anniversary Festival continues, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts gears up for an epic summer with a “Peace, Love & Posters” contest that embraces the creative spirit of the 1969 event.
With a call for submissions that “inspire passion and purpose,” Bethel Woods hopes to select a poster that embodies the passion of the original Woodstock generation and resonates with the contemporary movement of artists and thinkers of the world. It invites anyone, from students and amateur creatives to professional designers and photographers, to try their hand at concocting a poster concept that captures that passion and acts as a symbol for the 2019 fest. Like the original 1969 graphic, which was designed by artist Arnold Skolnick, the new imagery should not be a generic festival poster, but one that embodies a spirit that transcends generations.
While Bethel keeps its design requirements relatively loose, it does have a few stipulations for any submitted designs. All posters must be original works and should include the words “Bethel Woods Center for the Arts” in a prominent location. For all you graphic design majors, yes, the Center does accept entries produced with digital software or that include high quality images of illustrations or paintings.
Regardless of design style, all posters must have an aspect ratio of 24” x 36” and be no larger than 15MB. When it comes time to submit, acceptable formats include JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF (non-animated), and TIF.
The contest closes on April 4. After that time, Bethel Woods will review all submissions for the following criteria: adherence to theme (40 percent), uniqueness (25 percent), skill and technique (25 percent), and creativity (10 percent). Overall, it hopes to find a poster that will “speak to our collective desire to build a kinder, more inclusive and enlightened society through the power of creativity, self-actualization, love, and understanding.”
While the possibility of being selected to represent such an iconic festival is enough of a motivation to enter, the prize at the end is the true temptation. Just in time for the 50th anniversary festival, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts will select one person to win $2,500 and a trip to the center for the festivities. For runners up, a $500 prize will be given to the top contenders in each age group.
Think you have what it takes to represent Woodstock in all its glory? Learn more about the contest here, then enter your best work!
