2020 Artown Poster CALL FOR ARTISTS

Call for Artists

Artown is now accepting art submissions for the 2020 poster concept. Whether you are world famous or an aspiring artist, seize the opportunity to represent the July 2020 festival and the 25th Anniversary year of Artown. We encourage regional artists to submit selected designs that will brand the month long arts and culture festival.  The chosen artwork will be showcased throughout the month of July to promote over 500 multidisciplinary events.  A panel of judges including Artown board members will review submissions and select the piece that best reflects the look and feel of the 2020 festival and our 25th season. The selected poster artwork and concept becomes the exclusive property of Artown and will be the icon for the Artown 2020 festival.  The artist will be contracted at $3,000 and will receive 50 posters from Artown for the sole purpose of promoting the artist’s work.

Submissions are limited to no more than two different concepts per person.  The art needs to be designed specifically to promote the celebration of the 2020 Artown festival and may not come from an existing portfolio. Please only create the art, and not a poster, as we will contract with a designer to aid in creating the poster from your piece. Each concept submitted does not need to be fully completed work, but should effectively illustrate the vision of the final piece.

Artown is committed to showcasing regional talent.  Eligible artists must be living in the Truckee Meadows region, the Lake Tahoe area, or living in the following Nevada counties: Carson City, Douglas, Lyon, Storey, Churchill, Pershing, Washoe, Humboldt, Lander, Eureka, Elko, and White Pine.  All applicants are encouraged to apply regardless of experience.

Entry Information:
1. Artist bio with contact email and phone number, as well as a note on the media used to create the piece
2. No more than two different concepts designed specifically for the July 2020 festival
3. Statement to support and describe each concept, however, this is statement is not presented during the juried process

Submissions must be received by:
Friday, November 22, 2019 by 5:00 pm

How to Submit:
• Email your art submissions to raquel@artown.org
• Or submit in person at the Artown office:
528 West First Street, Reno, NV, 89503

For questions please call 775-322-1538

Hello, my name is Nusra Juma; I am 15 years old I was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. When I was a baby, my family and I moved from the DRC to the capital city of Burundi as urban refugees. Life in Burundi wasn't pleasant because, as refugees, the living cost was high--considering we were new to this country. The refugee agency asked my family if they wanted a new life away from the city; a life where they would provide food, shelter, and free education. Due to the condition of our lifestyle, my family decided to take the offer. So, we moved from Bujumbura the capital city of Burundi, to the refugee camp in Ruyigi where I started kindergarten and early primary school.

Life in the refugee camp still wasn't pleasant. We got food but not enough, and we got a place to sleep but were not comfortable. Despite all that, I kept focusing on my school, because it was the most important thing to me at that time. My sisters went miles and miles looking for coals to cook our food and still went on with their studies. My parents didn't have any jobs so the refugee agency once again asked my dad if he would love to go to a place where he could work, make money and provide a better living for himself and his family. My dad talked to us as a family, and all of us thought it was the best idea. After three years of processing, in 2019 we landed in America. 

My love for art started back when I was in third-grade primary school. With the limited resources in the refugee camp, I could only put my hands on normal paper and pencil. That was until I arrived in the U.S. in 2019 with my family. I have been here for more than three years. I also happen to be a self-made artist and the only painter in my family of nine individuals. I got introduced to painting when I joined the school here. I started using paint in 6th grade at Sparks Middle School when my art teacher discovered my love for art and my newfound motivation: paint. She taught me the basic steps on how to use acrylic colors after I told her that I have drawn before but didn’t have any material except for a pencil and paper. My obsession with this new way of expressing myself and spending my creative time has gotten me very far over the couple of years that I have been in America. 

My work is inspired by the natural world and the patterns and shapes found in the natural environments of my imagination. I am particularly drawn to the way light and shadow interact with organic forms. I seek to capture the beauty and complexity of these relationships in my art. I work primarily with mixed media, combining traditional drawing and painting techniques with natural tools to create layered, textured compositions. I am interested in exploring the tension between the organic and the synthetic, and often incorporate elements of art in my pieces. My goal as an artist is to create work that inspires contemplation and reflection and encourages viewers to connect with the natural world in a more meaningful way. I believe that art has the power to transform our relationship with the environment, and I hope that my work can contribute to greater awareness and appreciation of the beauty and fragility of the world around us. 

My message to the world: Your creation is a place for everything, and it is everything in its place. The world is hard, but you can choose to work through it and be happy or let it beat you down--the choice is yours. Just follow your heart and it will lead you to success. – Nusra Juma 2023