THE FERNDALE LIBRARY CARD DESIGN CONTEST 2026
Submit your art for our Library Card Design Contest.
Open to all ages, with three winners, total, one selected from each age group:
Youth (ages 12 and under), Teens (ages 13-17), and Adults (ages 18+).
The deadline is FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Online Voting for each age group's Top 3 Finalists begins on MONDAY, MARCH 2
All kinds of visual art are welcome, including drawings, paintings, or digital designs
Submitting Your Art
Your artwork should fit inside a 2.125” x 3.375” area
If your artwork is created by hand: Scan or photograph it in high resolution so all details are clear.
Click here if you'd like to download our printable template.
Submissions must be sent as a PDF file OR turned in to the Circulation Desk
Do not write your name, initials, or any personal information on your artwork.
Also, your artwork must be entirely your own original creation. The use of AI or other generative tools is not allowed.
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Scan or photograph your artwork
Scanning: Use a scanner at 300 dpi or higher. Save as a JPG, PNG, or PDF.
Photographing: Use bright, even lighting (no shadows or glare).
Keep your camera or phone parallel to the artwork
Crop the image so only your art is visible (no extra paper around it).
Make sure your artwork is clear, sharp, and correctly oriented.
Ensure the file does not include your name or personal information.
Each person may submit only one entry.
Eligibility:
Artists must be eligible for a Ferndale Library card (including current non-resident cardholders). Library cards are free to:
- Ferndale residents
- Non-residents who are employed in Ferndale
- Current Ferndale Public Schools students
- Non-resident students attending a school in Ferndale
- Individuals owning property in Ferndale
Non-resident cards are available for $25 per quarter for an individual or $100 per year.
Art Criteria:
Submitted artwork will be judged by the library’s Art & Exhibitions Committee, proceeding through a selection process for a forthcoming shortlist of finalists. Artwork will be judged on creativity and originality, imaginative design and presentation, and relevance to the Ferndale Library. Works will be anonymized during the shortlisting process, so please do not include your name or any other identifiable information on your submission.
Art should be submitted as 3.125” x 1.875” as a .png, .jpg, or in a flattened PDF. All kinds of visual art will be accepted, including, but not limited to: painting, drawing, digital art, oil pastels, photography, and fiber arts. The art must be scanned or photographed in high resolution according to the size specifications and submitted without any additional background.
Submission Agreement
By submitting your work, you agree that the Ferndale Library has the right to publish or reproduce your artwork for educational, informational, or promotional purposes without any payment or compensation to you, including in Library marketing materials and the 2026 library card design. You authorize the Ferndale Area District Library to use and publish your artwork in print or electronically. Winning art pieces become the property of the library and may not be reused or sold for any purpose other than library use.
Please do not include identifiable individuals in submitted photographs unless you can provide documentation of their consent. If your work includes any recognizable person(s), you must supply a signed model release or waiver for each individual depicted. Submissions without the required documentation may be disqualified.