TOLEDO, Ohio — While visual art comes first and foremost to mind when considering the Toledo Museum of Art - think paintings, sculptures and installations - the museum is finding ways to incorporate other elements of art: namely, the literary.
The museum's annual poetry contest opened for submissions Monday and seeks to amplify local voices and add another layer of complexity to specific pieces in the museum's collection. Participants should submit a poem inspired by one of 12 selected artworks, which can be viewed by clicking here.
The contest runs from Jan. 22 to March 22, and winners will be notified on April 17. First through third place winners will be announced in two categories: Youth (11-17) and Adult (18+). Both categories will also have an honorable mention.
First prize winners will receive $200 and a one year TMA membership; second place will receive $100; third place will receive $75; and the honorable mention prize is $25.
Submissions are welcome from anyone who lives in the following counties in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan:
- Allen, Auglaize, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Hillsdale, Huron, Lenawee, Lucas, Monroe, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Washtenaw, Wayne, Williams, Wood and Wyandot.
Toledo Museum of Art employees and volunteers are ineligible from participating, according to the museum's website.
A panel of three judges will review and rank the submissions on originality, form, language, grammatical skill and creative interpterion. The judges are Ryan Bunch, Hedyeh Elahinia and Dustin Pearson.
Two adult writing workshops will also be held on Feb. 3 and March 16. Registration for the workshops will open soon, according to the TMA's website.
For more information and additional submission guidelines, click here.