Newtown Cultural Arts Commission has announced the competition for the 2025 Newtown Arts Festival signature art.

Open to all area artists, submissions must be received by February 13, 2025, with the final decision to be announced on February 20, 2025. A $1,000 award will be presented to the artist whose work is chosen as this year’s signature work.

For full information and to see previous posters, visit newtownartsfestival.com/featured-artist-for-newtown-arts-festival-2023/

The winning art will represent the festival on posters, T-shirts, and advertising.

The theme can include the visual arts (painting, collage, digital art, wood cuts, sculpture, fiber arts) music, drama, poetry, prose, dance, film, crafts, culinary, horticulture, a special place, special people, an identifying symbol, a tradition, etc. The artwork may include the festival title, date and tagline (Newtown Arts Festival 2025/ A Celebration of the Arts / September 26-28, 2025).

Target audience is the citizens and families of Newtown and the wider Fairfield County festival enthusiasts, musicians, artisans, theatre and film attendees, and dancers and businesses as potential sponsors.

The art must be adaptable for web, print media and social media. The artwork should also be suitable for display on professionally printed 16.5 x 23 posters and black or grey T-shirts.

Now in its 13th year, Newtown Arts Festival celebrates the arts in the region with a weekend of music, art, dance, theater, crafts, food trucks, and a beer and wine garden.

The festival is sponsored by Newtown Cultural Arts Commission. It raises funds for scholarships for Newtown residents and grants for Newtown artists as well as organizations that bring the arts to town.

Newtown Cultural Arts Commission Chairman Laura E. Lerman says the festival is many things.

“It presents artisans and bands to an enthusiastic audience, and it shares the arts with the community at a deliberately reasonable entry price,” she said.

Artist Karen Ciocca used one of the iconic cupolas at Fairfield Hills as both a basis and inspiration for what was selected as the signature art of the 2024 Newtown Arts Festival.