The Ozark Arts Council and NorthArk Drama Present:
An Art Contest, Hadestown: Teen

Hadestown: Teen Student Art Contest – Sponsored by Harrison Art League and the Ozark Arts Council

PURPOSE The purpose of the Hadestown: Teen Art Contest is to recognize the artistic achievements of our area students and to increase community involvement in live theatre. This student art contest is open to students grades 7-12 in public, private, and home schools, as well as high school students enrolled at NorthArk.

THEME: The theme for the Art contest comes from one of Broadway’s newest and brightest hits, Hadestown, based on the beautiful Greek myths of Perspephone and Hades, and Eurydice and Orpheus. Students are encouraged to use the synopsis attached to create a piece of artwork to be used at the playbill cover for the Ozark Arts Council/NorthArk Drama’s production of Hadestown: Teen.

ORIGINALITY All work must be created by the student. The entry must be conceptualized, developed, and completed by the student. 

Entry form here.

RECOGNITION: There will be FIVE winning pieces which will be used as the Hadestown: Teen playbill in a rotating print. The artists will receive a framed copy of the playbill and will be recognized on opening night of Hadestown: Teen (Friday May 9, 2025 at 7:00PM). The artists will receive free admission to the production on Friday May 9, 2025, along with 2 complimentary tickets to be used at their discretion. The artists’ Art teachers will also receive 2 complimentary tickets to the Friday May 9, 2025 production. Artists will also receive a $50 cash prize.

NOTE: If our email address appears blurred out, just click/tap on it to reveal it.

DEADLINE Deadline for submitting entries along with the forms is no later than Friday April 4, 2025. Artists/parents of Artists, please email in**@**************il.org to arrange for drop off of artwork March 1-April 4.

Guidelines for Artwork

• Submit only one piece of artwork per student in any medium, including graphic design. If photography is used, there cannot be any facial recognition.
• No lettering, signatures, or initials may appear on the front of the design. Any artwork with such identifying characteristics will be disqualified and eliminated from the competition,
• Artwork must be original and can be from any medium. AI content is NOT acceptable. Artwork must not have clippings from newspapers, magazines, found objects, etc.
• Minimum entry size for digital work is width=2120px; height=2811px. Maximum size for all work is 18×24 inches, not including matting.
• Photographs not originated by the student (e.g., found in magazines, newspapers, other media) may not be used as source material for artwork submissions.
• Artwork must be completely dry or fixed.
• Works on paper should be matted to protect the artwork. Works on stretched canvas or canvas board do not need to be matted.
• No framed artwork.
• Use a clear glue stick to affix your completed entry form to the back of the artwork. Affix the entry form the upper right hand corner of the artwork. Please do NOT staple, paper clip, or tape as it will damage the artwork.

FORMS: All entrants must complete the Student Art Contest Entry Form, which should be attached to the back upper right hand corner of the artwork using a clear glue stick. The Student Art Contest Statement Form should be submitted with the artwork. This form provides the contest committee with vital contact information and certification signatures from the student, parent/guardian, and art teacher, which confirm that the student has abided by the rules and regulations of the contest. The form also releases Harrison Art League and Ozark Arts Council from responsibility in cases of loss, theft, or damage to the artwork, and gives permission for displaying and reproducing the artwork.

Judging Criteria

TECHNIQUE: The student chooses and utilizes media and tools competently to enhance the appearance of their work.

PERSONAL EXPRESSION: The evidence of imagination, creativity, and individuality. The result is distinctive and the concept presented in a unique way that is imaginative and inventive.

ORGANIZATION: The use of elements and the principles of art, effectively selecting those which enhance the overall appearance of the work.

INTEGRATION: The work combines technique, expression, and organization through artistic and critical judgment to achieve an effective interpretation or result.

NOTE: Jurors have the right to exclude any work from consideration in the contest—the decision of the jurors is final as relating to all contest matters.

Judging

Judging will take place soon after the deadline for submissions has passed and the winner will be notified by a member of Harrison Art League or one of their designees.

Synopsis of the Play

Hadestown: Teen Edition is a full-length adaptation of Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown, modified for performance by teen actors for family audiences. The Teen Edition is only available for school and youth groups with performers 19 years old and younger.

This intriguing and beautiful folk opera delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience. Following two intertwining love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of immortal King Hades and lady Persephone – Hadestown invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Inspired by traditions of classic American folk music and vintage New Orleans jazz, Mitchell’s beguiling sung-through musical pits industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. 

The plot follows Orpheus, a hopeful young musician, who embarks on a perilous journey to the underworld to rescue his beloved Eurydice after she is lured there by the promise of security by the enigmatic ruler Hades. In the underworld, Eurydice faces the harsh realities of Hadestown, a factory where souls toil endlessly, forgotten by the world above. Meanwhile, the strained relationship between Hades and his wife Persephone mirrors the cycles of decay and growth, influencing the fates of those below and above. Hadestown: Teen is not only a narrative of individual journeys but also a commentary on societal issues such as power, wealth, and the resilience of human spirit in the face of adversity. With its emotive performances, rich lyrical storytelling, and dynamic score, Hadestown offers a profound theatrical experience that invites audiences to question what it means to make sacrifices for love and to dream of a better world.

Entry Form here.