Topic and Objective
"Unsung Heroes"
Not all heroes make it into history books. Create a tribute to a lesser-known figure in your life, a community leader, or a family member who has made a meaningful impact.
Eligibility
- Must be a student in Grades 1st to 12th.
- Must reside Within the City of Richardson or attend a RISD/PISD school within the City of Richardson.
Rules / Submissions
- All submissions MUST be received by 5 p.m. on Feb. 28.
- One entry per student
- Must be submitted as a .jpg.
- Entries may be either Two or Three-Dimensional Works:
- Maximum 2D size is 12"x 18"
- Maximum 3D size is 16"H x 12"D x 16'W
- Entries must be original - no licensed, copyrighted. or trademarked work will be accepted.
- Entries must not be offensive, pornographic, overly graphic, obscene, etc.
- One photo of entry will be submitted digitally.
- No identifying information of the artist can be included as part of the visual submission.
- Each participant must grant the City of Richardson permission to use his or her name and image for the purposes of the contest and acknowledging that it may be published or displayed. If participant is under age 18. a parent or legal guardian must complete this entry.
Judging
Entries will be scored by a panel of judges based on:
- Artistic Excellence - How Is the quality of the composition. overall artistic design and professional approach to the process and presentation?
- Originality - How creative and original is the artwork of the depicted theme?
- Reflection of the Theme - How is the quality of the composition, overall artistic design and professional approach to the process and presentation?
Awards
Awards will be given to 1st. 2nd, 3rd and Honorable Mention in each of the contest groups below:
- Grades 1st to 3rd
- Grades 4th to 6th
- Grades 7th to 9th
- Grades l0th to 12th
Award winners will also be formally recognized at a future City of Richardson Council Meeting.
For more information contact: Greg.Sowell@cor.gov or 972-744-4218.
ARTIST ELIGIBILITY
The competition is open to all individual artists and students who may submit only one proposal per year, with no international submissions accepted.
DESIGN CRITERIA
• Only digital submissions will be accepted.
• Artists should submit a digital design that can be converted to a digitally printed wrap. Changes to the design may be required to accommodate site requirements.
• All artworks must be the artist’s own original work.
• Designs must include all visible sides to the traffic signal box including the tops of the traffic signal box and UPS unit. The bottom of the traffic signal box and UPS unit are not visible.
• Design must not contain representations of traffic lights, signs or signals.
• Designs may not include any breach of intellectual property, trademarks, brands, logo or images of illegal activities. Designs should not be any sort of advertisement.
• Since traffic signal boxes are located in public locations, artwork should be appropriate to all ages, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds.
• The design should include little to no print, as it is distracting to try and read while driving.
• The finished artwork will be used in the public domain and therefore may be subject to vandalism. Accordingly, artists should be thoughtful about having large open areas in their design.
• Artists are invited to sign their boxes. Signatures cannot occupy more than 1/8” of the area of the traffic signal box where they are placed.
THE SELECTION PROCESS
All proposals will be screened for the completeness of the submission. Finalists for the competition will be selected by the Traffic Signal Box Public Art Selection Committee based on a review of creativity, adherence to the theme and artistic merit. Winners will be notified via e-mail and/or phone.
ARTIST STIPEND
Each winning artist will receive a $100 from the City of Richardson and $100 from the Richardson Rotary Club for the artwork that will be payable when the Artist Release Form is submitted and approved by the City of Richardson. In addition, the winning artists will receive a certificate of recognition for their winning artwork and will be featured in the City of Richardson’s communication mediums.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Artistic concepts must be submitted using vector files. Only digital submissions will be accepted. Using the PROPOSAL CONCEPT FORM attached as a guide, please indicate where the proposed design would fit on each face of the traffic signal box. If it is the same image repeated on each side, please indicate that as well. Traffic signal boxes are 55” high X 44” wide X 26” deep with an attached uninterruptible power supply cabinet of 45” high X 16.5” wide X 16.5” deep.
LIFE SPAN OF THE ARTWORK
Artists should understand that the finished works will be on functioning equipment that will need repair or replacing at some point in time. The City cannot guarantee the duration of each traffic control box. Artists must accept the risk that their artwork may be damaged, altered or removed at any time after completion.
RESERVATION RIGHTS
The City of Richardson reserves the right to modify the project timeline, adjust this solicitation, and request additional or supplemental information from any or all participating artists. The City also reserves the right to reduce the number of traffic signal boxes included in the project. Additionally, the City of Richardson may accept or reject any or all proposals at any time prior to installation if it is determined to be in the City's best interest. If an applicant is unable to attend, they will be recognized at the City Council meeting, but no Zoom or video conferencing options will be available.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Deadline: Electronically delivered by 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2026
The following items are required:
• Completed Application Form
• Electronic submission via vector file
INFORMATION/QUESTIONS
Questions may be directed to: Kayla Johnson-Placemaking Manager , 972-744- 4213, Kayla.Johnson@cor.gov