Avon Art Contest Invites Residents To Explore Local History

AVON, CT — Residents of Avon are invited to participate in “Avon Then & Now,” a community art challenge tied to the town’s America 250 celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The contest encourages participants to create original artwork inspired by the history of the Farmington Valley.

Organizers said the initiative is open to a wide range of age groups, with categories for students in grades K–4, 5–6, 7–8, 9–12, as well as adults.

All media types are accepted, including paintings, drawings, collages, prints, 3D models, and photography.

Two-dimensional artwork must not exceed 18 inches on one side, while photographs must be at least 8 by 10 inches.

Entries must be original and created by Avon residents, with a limit of one submission per person.

Participants are required to include a short written paragraph describing their work, including relevant names, dates, locations, and historical context.

Organizers recommend using the Connecticut Digital Archive, which hosts more than 40,000 digitized items from local history collections, as a research resource.

The Avon Library Reference Desk is also available to assist residents with topic selection and background research.

Suggested themes include founding families, Native American settlements, local architecture, transportation history, farms and parks, monuments, sports, tools and crafts, and major historical events such as the Flood of 1955.

Landscapes and notable local landmarks are also encouraged as subjects.

The contest opened Jan. 21, and submissions are due by March 30.

Accepted works will be displayed at the Avon Library in May.

Entries must be submitted digitally, with one image required for two-dimensional pieces and two images for three-dimensional works.

Files must be in JPEG or PDF format, and physical pieces must be ready for hanging or display.

Organizers said the contest aims to engage the community in reflecting on Avon’s past while contributing to the nationwide America 250 commemoration.

Support for the program is provided by sponsor Jerry’s Artarama.

For more information and to submit an entry, click on this link.