Public Arts Midland and Cultural Awareness Coalition Announce Call for Artists for 2025 Creativity Contest
Public Arts Midland and the Midland Area Cultural Awareness Coalition are inviting community members of all ages and experience levels to participate in the 2025 Creativity Contest, which will celebrate the theme “In Diversity There Is Beauty and Strength.” Public Arts Midland and the Midland Area Cultural Awareness Coalition are both Midland Area Community Foundation initiatives.
This annual collaborative project highlights the deep connection between art and culture. Through creative expression, participants are encouraged to explore how diversity—across cultures, identities, abilities, traditions, and lived experiences—adds depth, beauty, and resilience to our shared community.
“We believe creativity is a powerful tool for building understanding and connection,” says Erin Patrice, chair of the Creativity Contest Committee. “This contest is an open invitation for everyone to reflect on what diversity means to them and to express that through art in any form.”
The Creativity Contest is open to everyone in the Great Lakes Bay Region—from young children to seasoned artists—and welcomes a wide range of submissions, including:
2D visual art (painting, drawing, collage, etc.)
3D works (sculpture, mixed media, etc.)
Multimedia (spoken word, song, video, digital art, etc.)
Written work (poetry, short story, personal reflection, etc.)
Submissions are due by September 15, 2025, at 11:59 PM. A selection committee from Public Arts Midland and the Cultural Awareness Coalition will review all eligible entries.
Selected artists will have their work featured at a public artist reception at Creative 360 on Thursday, October 9, 2025, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. The evening will include a formal program beginning at 6:00 PM, during which prizes will be awarded to the top entries.
“In a community like ours, where people come from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life, this contest is a meaningful way to lift the voices and stories that often go untold,” says Alysia Christy, Director of Community Impact for the Midland Area Community Foundation and liaison for both Public Arts Midland and the Midland Area Cultural Awareness Coalition.
To learn more about submission requirements, eligibility, and how to participate, visit midlandfdn.org/creativity-contest.
About the Partners
Public Arts Midland is a space to help people create connections through public art. We believe that art connects, heals, inspires, teaches, and speaks to us in myriad ways that build stronger and more vibrant communities.
The Cultural Awareness Coalition promotes, encourages, shares, and sustains cultural awareness throughout Midland County, striving toward a more inclusive and understanding community.
Together, these initiatives of the Midland Area Community Foundation support the shared vision for our county. Midland: An inclusive community. Together. Forward. Bold. An exceptional place where everyone thrives.
Do you have a Midland County story you would like to tell that aligns with our vision?