2020 Poetic Visions Competition

The Museum of Art DeLand, Creative Happiness Institute, and MainStreet Art & Culture Slam of DeLand proudly present The 2020 Poetic Visions poetry contest. Poetic Visions is an Ekphrastic poetry competition. All submissions will be poems inspired or prompted by 34 different pieces of artwork on display at The Museum of Art DeLand. All submissions will be curated by a panel of five esteemed judges and one poem will be selected to represent each of the 34 works of art. Poets may submit up to 3 different poems (3 different works of art as prompts). The winners will then be selected by the general public, who will be able to view the submissions right alongside the artwork in a special exhibit and then cast a vote for their favorites. Entry is free. Selected submissions will be eligible for inclusion in the 2020 Poetic Visions Anthology.

Eligibility

Eligibility is open to poets of all ages and residing anywhere. However, as personal appearances are mandatory for participation, it is suggested that only poets residing in areas that are a reasonable commute to The Museum of Art DeLand enter this competition. That includes the counties of Volusia, Lake, Flagler, Seminole, Orange, and areas in proximity.

Format

All submissions will be done using Microsoft Word (no PDFs or Google docs) and will use a page size of 11 inches by 17 inches. Use an Arial font of no less than 22 and no more than 24. Poems will be no more than 37 lines including title and spacing. Keep your margins consistent- at least one inch is suggested. Submissions will consist of 3 pages only, sent individually for each artwork. Submissions must be original and by one individual. Be sure to proofread your poem before submitting. Do not submit attachments from online clouds or anything requiring a sign in.

Page one will have the poet’s contact information- name, email address, and telephone number. Please include a short bio on the first page as well. Write the poem’s title and the artwork chosen as follows:

The title of my poem is ______.

The artwork I selected is #______.

Lastly, copy and paste your chosen artwork onto the first page.

The second page will have only 3 things (no other info on page):

1) The title of my poem is______.

2)The artwork I selected is #______.

3) Another copy and paste of your selected artwork.

The third page will have your poem with the title only (no other info on page).

Here is the link to the 34 artworks: https://photos.app.goo.gl/96CZaZGyrFQpUr5RA

*When you click on the image, the # and other info is located on the right side.

Submission

Please send all submissions to poeticvisionsdma2020@gmail.com.

Poetry Submission period begins May 1, 2020 at 9 a.m. and ends July 3, 2020 at 5 p.m. Poets may submit up to 3 different poems, one for a different work of art. Each poem must be submitted individually, each email attachment consisting of 3 pages exactly. Do not send an email with more than one attachment. Do not send an attachment over 3 pages long. Submissions that do not follow the guidelines and formatting will be disqualified.

Awards

First place: $150

Second place: $100

Third place: $50

In addition, selected submissions will qualify for publication in the Poetic Visions Anthology. Poets will be contacted and required to sign a waiver for permission to publish and will, regardless of publication, retain all rights to their writing. Winners must be able to attend all related events and receive their award in person.

Poetic Visions Timeline

May 1, 2020: Contest period opens at 9:00 a.m.

July 3, 2020: Contest period ends at 5:00 p.m.

Friday, August 21, 2020: Exhibition opens with a reception from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. and continues through December 27, 2020 at the Museum of Art DeLand, 600 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, FL. The Poetic Visions Anthology will be available during this opening reception. Public voting will also begin at that time and run through Sunday, October 4.

Friday October 16, 2020: Wine and cheese reception from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Awards will be announced, with a selected poetry reading to follow between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.