NH State Council on the Arts Celebrates its 40th Anniversary

Announcing Winners of the 40th Anniversary Poster Contest
State House Exhibition October 3 - 28 Features All Entries from Grades 1-4

Click here to view the scrapbook of photos taken at the exhibition opening and award ceremony.

Click here to view the virtual exhibition.

The NH State Council on the Arts announced the winners of the statewide poster contest for schools, grades 1-4. The aim was to create a poster that would commemorate the State Arts Council's 40th Anniversary. The original legislation -- RSA 19 -- that brought the agency into being, was signed on June 28th, 1965. Five winners were chosen out of 21 entries.

All 21 entries may be viewed at the State House in Concord where they are currently on exhibition until October 28th.
Governor John Lynch has issued a Proclamation to designate October Discover New Hampshire Arts Month. The US Congress has designated October National Arts & Humanities Month.

The theme of the poster contest was Discover New Hampshire Arts. Students were invited to make a picture that suggests favorite art activities, things, or places in New Hampshire. In response, 21 artworks were submitted that made it clear that, in New Hampshire, students are aware of the art all around them, whether observed in nature, in music, clouds in the sky, a dancer on stage, paintings in a gallery, or on the refrigerator at home.

The winning artwork was created by Lily Brennan, second grader at the Josiah Bartlett Elementary School. Lily's brilliantly colored collage was made into a professionally designed 18" by 24" poster, to celebrate the State Arts Council's 40th anniversary. In her artist statement, Lily describes how her picture addresses the contest's theme: "The mountains are a stage so the ballerina can dance. The music comes from the bird while the artist paints. There is art all around us in New Hampshire."

For her artwork, Lily received a grand prize of $200 and a certificate. She also earned $5,000 for the Josiah Bartlett Elementary School to expand its arts learning programs.

In addition to the grand prize winner, four finalists from each grade level were chosen. Grade level finalists were Carter Miller, first grader, also from the Josiah Bartlett Elementary School; Erin McNabb, second grader of the Eastman School in Concord; Jenna Sutcliffe, third grader at Plymouth Elementary School; and Ben Barter-Colcord, fourth grader at Concord's Broken Ground School. Each finalist received $100 and a certificate, with each winner's school receiving $500 to invest in arts learning needs.

The Josiah Bartlett Elementary School received a total of $5,500 for sponsoring two winning artists -- both students of art teacher June McLeavey. Other participating schools that sent in the art work of their own finalists included Plymouth Elementary in Plymouth, Eastman Elementary in Concord, Bow Elementary in Bow, Broken Ground School in Concord, and Conant Elementary in Concord.

Each participating school received a poster and a CD featuring traditional music by New Hampshire artists for its library. In addition, each winning artist and each participating school received an autographed copy of writer/illustrator Tomie DePaola's autobiographical book The Art Lesson for their libraries.

Cash awards were sponsored by the Kitchel-McLaughlin Family Fund of the Upper Valley Community Foundation of Hanover. The Art Lesson by Tomie DePaola was generously donated by arrangement with Penguin Young Readers Group. The winning artwork was made into a poster by Brian Page of Dharma Creative in Nashua.

Last updated: January 14, 2011