CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gov. Jim Justice, the West Virginia Department of Tourism, and the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History invite all all West Virginia students in grades K-12 to participate in the 2023 Almost Heaven Governor’s Art Exhibition.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. Only one entry may be submitted per student.

Designed to showcase student creativity and the arts, this year’s exhibition is a call for one-of-a-kind postcard designs illustrating your favorite West Virginia park (city, county, or state). Selected postcard artwork will later be used by the Department of Tourism to personally invite travelers to Almost Heaven.

Awards will be given out to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in three categories: elementary school, middle school, and high school. Winners will receive Blick Art Materials gift cards in the amounts of $100, $50 and $25.

Artwork can be standard postcard size, 5” W x 3-1/2” H x or 6” W x 4-1/4” H with a maximum of 11” W x 6” H and weigh no more than 3 pounds. Painting, printmaking, digital art, drawing, photography and mixed media are all acceptable mediums. All artwork must include a submission form.

The artwork and submission form should be dropped off or mailed to:

WVDACH, Attn: Laiken Blankenship
The Culture Center
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
Charleston, WV 25305

An exhibition of all selected entries will be on display at the State Capitol in Charleston beginning Jan. 11, 2023.

For more information on contest guidelines and to print off a submission form click here or contact Laiken Blankenship, WVDACH exhibits coordinator, at (304) 558-0220 or Laiken.J.Blankenship@wv.gov.