What Does it Mean to Express Yourself?
Paint, pencils, crayons and InDesign – use your favorite medium to design a book cover for the annual Express Yourself Youth Poetry Competition winners’ anthology.
Complete Rules for Entry
Artist Requirements: The Express Yourself Cover Art Contest is open to all artists in grade 2-12, who live in the City of Dallas or attend a school within Dallas city limits.
The Artwork Must Be Original: You must be the creator of the artwork that is submitted to the contest. Your art must be your own original concept and not a copy of anyone else's copyrighted material. If your image infringes upon another's copyright it will be disqualified.
Artist Requirements:
- Any drawing or painting medium, including: pencil, watercolors, crayons, and acrylics can be used. Non-reflective sturdy paper such as watercolor paper or card stock is preferred. Artwork should be on vertical (portrait orientation). Maximum size 11in x17in
- Any Graphic design software, including Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, or open source product, can be used. Your images are best represented at 1200px on the longest side and at a resolution of 72dpi. The acceptable file formats are: jpg or pdf.
- Artwork must be the artists own work and may not be submitted without artist’s consent.
Multiple Submissions: Only one submission per artist.
Submission Deadline: Submissions accepted starting September 17, 2024. Artwork must be received or postmarked by January 31, 2025.
Entry Process:
Art may also be submitted in person at any Dallas Public Library Location.
Submit by mail to:
Express Yourself!
J. Erik Jonsson Central Library,
1515 Young St., Dallas, TX 75201-5499
Submit online at: www.dallaslibrary.org/poetry
Judging Criteria:
- Creativity
- Originality
- Quality
- All qualified art will be judged separately in the in the following grade categories: 2-5, 6-8, 9-12.
Finalists:
- All finalists will be notified by email by April 1, 2025.
- One overall winner will be selected to have their artwork appear on the cover of the 29th edition of the Express Yourself! Finalists’ Anthology.
- One winner per grade category will have their artwork appear on the back cover, for a total of three winners.
- Two finalists per grade category will have their artwork appear in the anthology, for a total of six honorable mentions.
- All finalists will be invited to an award ceremony on April 25, 2025.
All entries become the property of the Friends of Dallas Public Library and the Dallas Public Library. Dallas Public Library is granted permission to use the drawings at its discretion. For more information contact: libyouthservices@dallas.gov
¿Qué significa Expresarte?
Puntura, pinceles, creyones e InDesign; usa tu medio favorito para diseñar la portada del libro de compilación de los ganadores del Concurso Anual de Poesía Joven Exprésate
Reglas Completas de Participación
Requerimientos para Artistas: El Concurso de Arte de Portada Exprésate está abierto para todos los artistas de 2 a 12 grado que vivan en la Ciudad de Dallas o atiendan a una escuela en los límites de la ciudad Dallas.
El Arte Tiene que Ser Original: Tienes que ser el creador del arte que envíes al concurso. Tu arte tiene que tener un concepto original y no ser la copia de material perteneciente a otra persona. Si tu imagen infringe los derechos de autor de otra persona, será descalificada.
Requerimientos para Artistas:
- Se puede usar cualquier pintura o medio de pintura, incluyendo: lápiz, acuarelas, creyones y acrílicos. Es mejor usar papeles resistentes y opacos, como papel de acuarela o cartulina. La orientación del arte debe ser vertical (tipo retrato). Tamaño máximo: 11in x 17in
- Se puede usar cualquier software de diseño gráfico, incluyendo Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator o un producto de código abierto. Las imágenes se representan mejor a 1200px en el lado más largo y a una resolución de 72dpi. Los formatos de archivo aceptables son: jpg o pdf.
- Las obras de arte deben ser del propio artista y no pueden presentarse sin su consentimiento.
Envíos Múltiples: Sólo un envío por artista.
Plazo de Presentación: Las presentaciones se aceptan a partir del 17 de septiembre de 2024. Las obras deben recibirse antes del o llevar el sello postal con fecha anterior al 31 de enero de 2025.
Proceso de inscripción:
Las obras también se pueden presentar en persona en cualquier sede de la Biblioteca Pública de Dallas.
Envía la obra por correo a:
¡Expresarte!
Biblioteca Central J. Erik Jonsson,
1515 Young St., Dallas, TX 75201-5499
Envía la obra en línea a través de: www.dallaslibrary.org/poetry
Criterios de evaluación:
- Creatividad
- Originalidad
- Calidad
- Todas las obras que califiquen serán evaluadas por separado en las siguientes categorías: de 2o a 5o grado, de 6o a 8o grado, de 9o a 12o grado.
Finalistas:
- Todos los finalistas serán notificados por correo electrónico antes del 1 de abril de 2025.
- Se seleccionará un ganador absoluto cuya obra aparecerá en la portada de la 28ª edición de ¡Exprésate! Antología de Finalistas.
- Se seleccionará un ganador por categoría de grado cuya obra aparecerá en la contraportada, para un total de tres ganadores.
- Dos finalistas por categoría cuyas obras aparecerán en la antología, lo que supone un total de seis menciones honoríficas.
- Todos los finalistas serán invitados a una ceremonia de entrega de premios el 25 de abril de 2025.
Todos los trabajos pasan a ser propiedad de Friends of Dallas Public Library (Amigos de la Biblioteca Pública de Dallas) y de la Biblioteca Pública de Dallas. La Biblioteca Pública de Dallas tiene permiso para utilizar las obras a su discreción. Para más información, póngase en contacto con: libyouthservices@dallas.gov
Interested in having a free poetry workshop with your class?
Express Yourself! Poetry Workshops are designed to help no more than 30 students understand poetry and write poems for submission to the Express Yourself! Youth Poetry Competition.
For more information about the Competition, go to dallaslibrary.org/poetry
To request a workshop, please fill out this form (items marked with a red asterisk * are required).
A Dallas Public Library staff member will reach out to you via e-mail about your request. Teaching artists are outside contractors and not employees of the City of Dallas.
Please read the following for more information regarding poetry workshops and/or assemblies:
- Scheduled between September 27, 2025- January 17, 2025.
- Limited and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- May be scheduled by any school, public or private, in the City of Dallas as well as by afterschool programs/organizations for students in grades 2 through 12.
- May be during the school day or afterschool/weekends.
- Participating students must be eligible to submit to the Express Yourself! Youth Poetry Competition.
For more information, call 214-670-7943 or email libyouthservices@dallas.gov.
How Do You Express Yourself?
Submit your original poem to the 29th annual Express Yourself! Youth Poetry Competition. Finalists will be recognized at a ceremony during National Poetry Month in April and have their poems published in an anthology.
ABOUT THE COMPETITION
- 60 finalists will be invited to an awards ceremony on April 25, 2025 and have their work published by the Dallas Public Library in a bound anthology.
- One finalist will be selected to receive the Joe M. and Doris Russell Dealey Foundation Award of Achievement and one winner will be selected for each of the following grade categories: 2-5, 6-8, 9-12.
- All qualified poems will be judged on originality and structure.
- All qualified poems will be judged separately in the following grade categories: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, and 10-12.
- All finalists will be notified by email by April 1, 2025.
RULES ........ Please read carefully.
- Poems must be the writer’s own work and may not be submitted without the poet’s knowledge and consent.
- All poets must be in grades 2-12 and live in the City of Dallas or attend a school within Dallas city limits.
- All entries must be received or postmarked (if mailed) by January 31, 2025. No entries will be returned.
- Entries must not exceed 20 lines.
- Only one entry per poet.
- Poems accepted in English and in Spanish.
- All entries become the property of The Friends of the Dallas Public Library & Dallas Public Library.
- For complete rules, visit www.dallaslibrary.org/poetry
Poems may also be dropped off at any Dallas Public Library location. Attach the completed entry form found at www.dallaslibrary.org/poetry
For more information, contact: libyouthservices@dallascityhall.com
¿Cómo participo en el concurso Express Yourself!?
Presenta tu poema original al 29º Concurso Anual de Poesía Juvenil Express Yourself! Concurso de Poesía Juvenil. Los finalistas serán reconocidos en una ceremonia durante el Mes Nacional de la Poesía en abril y sus poemas serán publicados en una antología.
SOBRE EL CONCURSO
- Serán invitados 60 finalistas a una ceremonia de premios el 25 de abril de 2025 y sus trabajos serán publicados por la Biblioteca Pública de Dallas en una antología encuadernada.
- Se seleccionará un finalista para recibir el premio Joe M. and Doris Russell Dealey Fund Award of Achievement y se seleccionará un ganador por cada una de las siguientes categorías: de 2o a 5o grado, de 6o a 8o grado, y de 9o a 12o grado.
- Todos los poemas calificados serán juzgados por su originalidad y estructura.
- Todos los poemas calificados serán juzgados por separado en las siguientes categorías: de 2o a 3o, de 4o a 5o, de 6o a 7o, de 8o a 9o y de 10o a 12o.
- Todos los finalistas serán notificados por correo electrónico antes del 1 de april de 2025.
REGLAS ........ Por favor, lea atentamente.
- Los poemas deben ser obra del propio escritor y no pueden ser presentados sin el conocimiento y consentimiento del poeta.
- Todos los poetas deben estudiar entre 2o y 12o grado y vivir en la ciudad de Dallas o asistir a una escuela dentro de los límites de la ciudad de Dallas.
- Todos los trabajos deben recibirse antes de o llevar el sello postal (si se envían por correo) con fecha anterior al 31 de enero de 2025. No se devolverán las inscripciones.
- Las inscripciones no deben exceder las 20 líneas.
- Sólo una participación por poeta.
- Se aceptan poemas en inglés y en español.
- Todos los trabajos pasan a ser propiedad de The Friends of the Dallas Public Library & Dallas Public Library.
- Para ver las reglas completas, visite www.dallaslibrary.org/poetry
Los poemas también pueden entregarse en cualquier sede de la Biblioteca Pública de Dallas. Adjunte el formulario de inscripción completo que se encuentra en www.dallaslibrary.org/poetry
Para más información, póngase en contacto con: libyouthservices@dallascityhall.com
Call for Local Artist – Exterior Columns Mural Project
The Dallas Public Library is inviting artists to participate in the creation of a collaborative set of murals on the exterior columns of our Oak Lawn branch library. We welcome all artists to submit original work that reflects the Oak Lawn Neighborhood.
Timeline
Call opens Dec. 2
Open call closes Jan. 31
Selection begins/closes Feb. 1
Artist acceptance notification Feb. 28
Installation TBD
Project Description
The ideal concept and finished work for this project should:
- Reflect the culture and history of the Oak Lawn neighborhood and its residents
- Showcase Oak Lawn's free-flowing landscapes, springs and architecture
- Display vibrant and colorful images that complement the environment
- Meet the library’s standard of value and quality as well as celebrate its impact on the community
- Be a collaboration between two or more artists, though non-collaborative works will be considered. Note that multiple artists may be selected to paint individual columns
Artists are encouraged to explore a wide range of themes that pertain to this specific neighborhood. Overall, the design should reflect the community and the energy of the neighborhood and the library’s role in the community as a gathering place where all are welcome.
The project location is 4100 Cedar Springs Rd, Dallas, TX 75219. The chosen design will be on the exterior columns near the front entrance of the library’s building. Designs on each column can differ but artists will work collectively to create one overall theme.
The dimensions of the surface area and overall square footage for each column are as follows:
- there are white brick columns, measuring 15.5 ft x 2 2/3 ft.
- Only 4 columns will be painted with a mural. The others will be painted a solid color, ideally in-between the mural columns. Artist is only responsible for the 4 columns painted with a mural.
- Photo of Oak Lawn Library Exterior
- Mural Example Idea
Note: Keep in mind that this work will be view by persons of all ages, races, genders, faiths, and walks of life
Project Goal
- Beautification: Enhance the environmental and aesthetic appeal in the Oak Lawn neighborhood.
- Cultural Development: Reflect the neighborhood’s character and the community it serves, enriching the identity of the already existing space to make it meaningful to those who use it.
- Inclusivity: Install public art that is reflective of the Oak Lawn community’s diverse population and culture
- Growth: Attract visitors to the Oak Lawn Library Branch
Our goal is to display a colorful, welcoming and vibrant entrance to the library as well as promote the community of Oaklawn and highlight the local history and culture of this diverse neighborhood.
This will be achieved through the conceptual development and fabrication of a site-specific artwork.
Thoughtful engagement with the community and its residents will be key.
The final work should be a public artwork to be installed in early 2025 at the Oak Lawn Branch Library.
Artist Profile
- You or someone close to you has a connection or a first-hand experience engaging in the Oak Lawn neighborhood
- You believe in the need for a library that reflects the Oak Lawn Community and its culture
- Community engagement is (or will be) a core value in your artistic practice
Oak Lawn Location and History
In 1846, Oak Lawn/Cedar Springs became a part of Dallas County.
In the early 1870s, European settlers were drawn to the region for its majestic oak and cedar trees and access to fresh water from natural springs, contributing to its architectural diversity. Development in the area centered around the first Methodist church, first built in 1874, which quickly became the heart of the Oak Lawn community, providing a meeting space as well as a school. By the early 20th century, Oak Lawn developed into a desirable residential area, marked by what are now official Dallas Landmark structures including the Cedar Springs Fire Station built in 1909, the Melrose Hotel built in 1924, and Stephen J. Hay Elementary School built in 1926.
For most of the 20th century the southern portion of the neighborhood near the intersection of Cedar Springs Road and Harry Hines Blvd was known as "Little Mexico". St. Anne's Catholic school served as the center for the community. With the redevelopment of the neighborhood beginning in the 1980s Little Mexico vanished.
In the 1960s, Oak Lawn emerged as a vibrant LGBTQ+ community hub, significantly influencing Dallas's social and cultural life. This period was highlighted by the opening of Texas's first gay bar, Club Reno, in 1947, and the first Gay Pride Parade in Texas in 1972. The neighborhood became the heart of the LGBTQ+ community, with The Crossroads serving as a vital center for political activism and social services.
In October 2018, Oak Lawn received a Texas State Historical Marker, becoming the first neighborhood in Texas to be recognized for its LGBTQ+ history. Today, it remains an essential gathering point for the LGBTQ+ community.
Applicant Guidelines
Participants must submit all of the materials listed below:
DPL may determine work ineligible if entry guidelines are not followed.
1. A completed application
2. Artist/Collaborative proposal (500 word maximum) describing your proposed design
3. 2-4 renderings of proposed design for each of the columns submitted as a digital file: pdf, jpg or tiff. Renderings should include project size and dimensions.
4. Current resume
5. All entries must be original and completed solely by the artist’s hand.
6. Artist or collaborative statement and bio (250 word maximum).
7. Two (2) references of individuals who can attest to your commitment completing art projects or equivalent skills.
8. At least 3 digital images of your work that give a sense of your skill and approach to this project
9. Once an artist is selected for the project, the artist will submit a more detailed drawing/design
Eligibility
1. This call is for original mural proposals only. Proposals which contain imagery that is copyrighted by a different entity, stolen, or copied from any other source will not be considered.
2. Artist must demonstrate a meaningful relationship with the Oak Lawn neighborhood. Living or working in the neighborhood is preferential.
3. Artwork must encompass the value of the library in the community and draw from Oak Lawn’s unique history.
Artist Selection Criteria and Process
Artists will be considered based on the following criteria:
- Artistic excellence, innovation and originality
- Documented potential and experience to complete the project successfully and within the required time frame
- Level of community theme and involvement
- Proposal wishes for two or more artists to work in collaboration to execute this project
A panel of arts professionals, community representatives and City staff will review and approved proposals that meet the above criteria and make the final selection.
The funding available for this project is up to $4000 ($1000 per column) and artists are responsible for providing all materials and equipment required to complete the project. Note that multiple artists may be selected to paint individual columns.
Please note that the Library will obtain all rights to the selected artwork and must retain the right to alter or remove the artwork as needed (i.e. if damaged or in need of repair).
This project is funded by the Friends of the Dallas Public Library.