Sample Dogwood Arts competition mask; image by Dogwood Arts

KNOXVILLE — Dogwood Arts, with support from Prestige Cleaners, is launching a community-wide mask design competition. Artists of all ages are encouraged to download a template from dogwoodarts.com and submit an original design by August 23rd for the chance to have their mask design “mask-produced” by Prestige Cleaners. Entries will be judged and a winner will be selected in an Adult and a Youth category. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, August 26th.

Prestige Cleaners will then produce actual masks influenced by the two winning designs. These masks will be available for purchase at prestigecleanersinc.net with proceeds benefiting Dogwood Arts.

Submission Deadline: Midnight on Sunday, August 23rd Mask Template & Submission Form: dogwoodarts.com/maskproduced

All of the community submissions will be included in Mask-Produced: A Virtual Exhibition & Auction that will launch in September. In addition to the 2-dimensional designs submitted by the community, the exhibition and auction will also include one-of-a-kind creations by local and regional artists and designers working in a variety of mediums. The initiative will launch virtually on September 16th with proceeds from the auction going directly to the Greater Knoxville GRACE Fund, a resource for individual local arts and culture workers seeking financial assistance to meet basic needs.

Virtual Exhibition & Auction is set for September 16th through October 2nd.

About the Greater Knoxville Grace Fund: The fund was created by the Arts & Culture Alliance as a confidential resource for local arts and culture workers who need financial assistance to meet basic needs. GRACE funds are awarded to help artists working in literary arts, craft arts, folk and traditional arts, 2-D and 3-D work of all media, installation art, public art, film/video arts, and performing arts (including music, dance, theater, puppetry, performance art). Any individual resident of Greater Knoxville who has worked at least two of the last five years (professionally or vocationally) in the local arts and culture community OR who has been an active participant in the local arts and culture community, regardless of the income derived from work in the arts and culture field, is eligible to apply for up to $2,000 at one time from the program.

Dogwood Arts, presented by ORNL Federal Credit Union, is a 501(c)3 organization with a mission to promote and celebrate our region’s art, culture, and natural beauty.