*artwork by Audrey RS, 2022 Art Contest Winner
It’s time for Red Balloon Bookshop’s annual Bookmark Art Contest!
And for another year Wet Paint has partnered with them to make this year’s Art Contest bigger and artier than ever before!
One winner will be chosen from each of these five groups:
- Kindergarten through 2nd grade
- 3rd through 5th grade
- 6th through 8th grade
- 9th through 12th grade
- 18+ / Adults
Winners will have their bookmarks professionally printed to be handed out in the last two weeks of summer at Red Balloon, and all winners will get one $20 gift card to Red Balloon as well as one $20 gift card to Wet Paint!
Submissions that don’t win will be displayed at Red Balloon Bookshop at the end of the summer for all to see. We recommend making a short trip of it so you can see your own art and all of the other beautiful submissions!
Looking for a great opportunity to craft your art? Join us for Bookmark Art Workshops at Wet Paint on Thursday, July 9, and Tuesday, July 28.
Submissions open: Sunday, June 7
Bookmark Art Workshop: Thursday, July 9 @ 4 – 6pm | Tuesday, July 28 @ 4 – 6pm
Deadline to submit: Sunday, August 9
Winners announced: Friday, August 21
Curious about previous years’ winners? Check them out here!
You can drop off bookmarks off in-person at Wet Paint or Red Balloon Bookshop, mail them to either store address (shown below), or email us a digital version of your artwork. We recommend printing and using the worksheet below to help with sizing, and to see all details of the contest.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I submit multiple pieces of art?
Nope! There is only one contest entry per person. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make multiple bookmarks! You just have to choose only one to submit to the contest.
I want to submit something, but I don’t know what to draw!
Join us for our Bookmark Art Workshop at Wet Paint on July 9! If you can’t join us then, then we recommend thinking about things that inspire you to read, or something that you think would look especially nice on a bookmark. Entries with inappropriate content will be disqualified.
When you’re making your art, be sure to keep in mind that anything important should be in the middle of the design since the edges may be trimmed during printing. It’s also important to remember that winning designs will be shrunken down, so any words should be written largely and legibly. The design can be either horizontal or vertical.
Can I submit digital artwork?
Yes! But please make sure your image is at least 315×1015—a high resolution image will look much better on the final product. Any images submitted to us should be .JPEG, .PNG, or .PDF.
How about artwork I created with AI?
All artwork must be original and any quoted text must be credited to the author. Because an AI-generated image is not art generated by you, it will not be considered. Plus, making art yourself is way more fun!
How do I submit my art?
Entries can be dropped off in person at Red Balloon Bookshop or Wet Paint, mailed to Red Balloon Bookshop at 891 Grand Avenue in St. Paul, or emailed to events@redballoonbookshop.com. Emailed entries should be high-resolution scans or digitally-created images with the dimensions of 315 x 1015.
Who judges the submissions?
Red Balloon Bookshop selects five anonymous judges from our community of authors, artists, and peers to assess submissions according to age category. Judges will judge artwork solely by the art itself as the name/information of each submitter will remain anonymous. The five judges include:
- 1 Author
- 1 Illustrator/Artist
- 1 Educator
- 1 Teen Reader (from Red Balloon’s Teens Read Book Club)
- 1 Frequent Red Balloon Customer
Previous judges have included: Drew Brockington, David LaRochelle, Ara Elizabeth, Ty Chapman, Magdalena Mora, and Molly Anthony.
Red Balloon Bookshop
891 Grand Ave
St. Paul, MN 55105
Because of our love of reading and fun, Red Balloon Bookshop is dedicated to serving our community with books, gifts, and events that inspire, inform and entertain, helping children of all ages—and adults!—live imaginative and rich lives.
Learn more about Red Balloon at redballoonbookshop.com
Wet Paint: Artists’ Materials and Framing
1684 Grand Ave
St. Paul, MN 55105
Wet Paint’s mission is to match artists with the right materials and supplies so they can successfully fulfill their creative expression.
Learn more about Wet Paint at wetpaintart.com