Westport Arts Center & Westport Farmers' Market Launch "Young Shoots" Student Digital Photography Competition

The Westport Arts Center and the Westport Farmers' Market are excited to announce a student digital photography competition, Young Shoots, for kids and teens ages 8-18.  

The competition, jointly sponsored by the two Westport non-profit organizations, is designed to provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate their creativity through the digital photography medium, and to showcase the local color and vibrancy of the Westport Farmers' Market.

Jurors for the competition include Helen Klisser During; Westport Arts Center's Artistic Director, Eileen Sawyer; local photographer and member of the Westport Farmers' Market Board of Directors, and Stephanie Webster; Editor-in-Chief for CTbites.com. 

Submissions are due by August 1, and selected photographers will be notified August 15.  Young Shoots submission guidelines are as follows:

·All young photographers are eligible to submit a maximum of two photographs to the competition.  There is no cost to enter.

·Students will be juried in three age groups (8-10 years old, 11-14 years old, and 15-18 years old).

·All photos must be taken at the Westport Farmers' Market, held Thursdays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at 50 Imperial Avenue in Westport.

·Images should be 1 MB - 4 MB, saved as .jpg, and labeled last name_firstname_title.jpg

·Edits and stylistic enhancements are permissible.

·Selected artists must print and frame their work to be displayed at a September 15 reception.

·All submissions for Young Shoots can be sent to submissions@westportartscenter.org.

In addition to the jurors' selections, there will also be an opportunity for the public to vote for their favorite photographs.  "Fan Favorites" can be voted for on the Westport Arts Center website: www.westportartscenter.org beginning August 5.  

Selected Young Shoots photographers will have their work showcased in a gallery-like setting at a September 15 reception at local restaurant Sugar & Olives.  The reception will be free and open to the public and will celebrate all participants’ creativity and originality. 

In addition, first and second place winners in each category will win a $50 cash prize, and "Fan Favorite" winners in each age category will win a one-year membership to the Westport Arts Center and a Westport Farmers' Market t-shirt.

Please visit www.westportartscenter.org or www.westportfarmersmarket.com for more information on the Young Shoots digital photography competition.