2023 Visual Arts and Songwriting Contest Theme for $25,000 College Scholarships Announced by The George Rodrigue Foundation

Louisiana high school juniors and seniors to share $25,000 in college scholarships

The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA), in collaboration with the Trombone Shorty Foundation, announced today the theme for the 2023 Visual Arts and Songwriting Contest: “Off the Beaten Path: Weird, Wild, and Abstract.” Louisiana high school juniors and seniors are urged to think beyond the box when creating works of art and songs that challenge creative boundaries. The 2023 contest winners will receive $25,000 in college scholarships; additionally, visual art winners’ works will tour on exhibition across Louisiana (Summer + Fall 2023), and the first-place songwriting winner will have the opportunity to perform at the Trombone Shorty Foundation’s annual fundraiser, Shorty Fest, next May.

Applications for visual art and song submissions are now available at www.rodriguefoundation.org. The deadline for submitting entries is Friday, January 20, 2023.

“Dad loved expressing himself through his abstract, out-of-this-world creations. We can’t wait to see how students choose to interpret this year’s theme and showcase their creativity through innovative works of art and song,” said Jacques Rodrigue, Executive Director of GRFA. “Since the inception of the visual arts contest, our foundation has awarded $580,000 in scholarships to 233 students. Now, with the expansion of the songwriting contest in its fourth year, we look forward to continuing to provide additional academic and creative opportunities for students.”

“We love this theme!” said Bill Taylor, Founding Executive Director of the Trombone Shorty Foundation. “Every year, we are blown away by the inspiration and creativity the students of Louisiana demonstrate for this contest, and this year will undoubtedly yield some epic submissions. We can’t wait to see what you come up with, young artists and songwriters!”

George Rodrigue is most known for his Cajun landscapes and the iconic Blue Dog, but he also delved in the surreal and abstract. His Hurricane Series from the early 2000s combines swirling forms and colors to convey emotion rather than standard figures or styles. “The Bayou Collection” (1984) is a collection of 40 paintings that depict Cajun ghost stories with bizarre and surreal images. One of the most notable paintings in this collection is Watch Dog, often known as Rodrigue’s first Blue Dog. The strange and surreal idea that dogs may be blue launched a whole new trend in Rodrigue’s work and gave rise to the renowned Blue Dog images we all know today.

Rodrigue used the Blue Dog sign throughout his work, often placing it in places where it would not ordinarily occur. In his work The Millennium (1999), he employs the Blue Dog, as well as butterflies, an Egyptian figure, and a Viking ship, to honor creativity and art and to commemorate the millennium’s beginning.

The 2023 visual arts and songwriting competition challenge students to reject traditional themes and concepts in order to produce something original and thought-provoking. There are no restrictions on the subject matter; pupils are encouraged to use their ideas and ingenuity to wander “beyond the beaten road” of traditional art creation. We ask students to create their own works of bizarre, wild, and abstract art and music using a selection of Rodrigue’s works of art and notions as inspiration.

Visual Arts Competition

All high school juniors and seniors in the state of Louisiana are eligible to apply. Contest judges will select 10 finalists (5 juniors/5 seniors) to share $19,000 in college scholarships. Following the Scholarship Awards Luncheon (date TBD), the winning entries will tour on exhibition across Louisiana.

Individual artwork will be judged on the following three criteria:

Concept/Design: Does the artwork address the theme in a clear and inventive way? (1/3 score)
Technical Skill: Does the artwork show an understanding of visual art principles such as use of color, shading, light, and form? (1/3 score)
Creativity: Does the artwork showcase an original point of view? Does it provide a fresh perspective on the theme? (1/3 score)

Songwriting Competition

All high school juniors and seniors in the state of Louisiana are eligible to apply. A selection of three finalists will share $6,000 in college scholarships. Following the Scholarship Awards Luncheon (date TBD), the first-place winner will have the opportunity to perform during the Trombone Shorty Foundation’s annual fundraiser, Shorty Fest next May.

Song submissions will be judged on the following criteria:

Structure and Composition: Does the song have clearly identifiable sections (verse, chorus, etc.)? Is the song between 2-5 minutes? Does the song have a clear theme and cohesive structure? Does the music have an identifiable rhyme scheme or pattern? (1/3 score)
Melody: Does the song have continuity and coherence in melody, as well as tone and style? Does the song offer something unique, different, and totally original? Does the music keep the listener interested and engaged? (1/3 score)
Lyrics: Are the lyrics creative and original? Do they inspire an emotional or visceral reaction from the listener? Do the music and lyrics fit together in a cohesive way? (1/3 score)

Follow this link for more information on GRFA’s 2023 Art/Songwriting contest.

Featured image source: George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts

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