What to know:
This year marks America’s semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. To commemorate this historic milestone, the U.S. Conference of Mayors in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts are launching the America 250 City Art Poster Project.
The City of Alexandria will be one of the participating cities who will collaborate with artists to create visual representations (posters) that celebrate local history and inspire hope for the future in honor of the semiquincentennial. The Office of the Arts will work to obtain submissions from a range of artists, from children and youth in community arts programs to professional and amateur artists, including senior citizens.
Led by the Honorable Alyia Gaskins, Mayor, City of Alexandria, the 250 USMC Poster Contest will be promoted as a platform to celebrate civic and national pride in honor of the semiquincentennial and showcase the power of artists to interpret and express community identity. The Office of the Arts will be working with both public and private schools, libraries, recreation and senior centers, artists, and arts organizations across the city for the creation for these posters. It is anticipated that the poster submission will be on display in the city, and a digital gallery of all submissions will be created to be shared by residents.
Alexandria artists of all ages and skill levels are invited to submit artwork that reflects civic pride, historical connection, and optimism for the future.
Submission Requirements
All submitted posters must:
- Be vertical orientation (24 inches wide by 32 inches high). No other sizes will be eligible for consideration or display (please note - the free poster paper is larger than the final dimensions. Please be sure the artwork image is not larger than 24 inches wide by 32 inches high).
- Be an original work created by the artist and not previously exhibited
- Be suitable for public display
- Reference America 250 and City of Alexandria
- Not include any political statement
- Be any two-dimensional visual art medium that meets size and layout requirements outlined below (digital illustration, painting, mixed media, collage, diptych or tryptic image, etc.). Please do not attach objects to the poster.
Please do not include your name on the front of the poster.
The City of Alexandria will convert the artwork to the appropriate digital format for the USCM.
Timeline
The poster contest runs from March 5 through April 17, 2026
April 17: Poster drop off deadline (see list below for specified drop off locations)
April 23 at 7 p.m.: Public reception at the Torpedo Factory Art Center to announce selected poster
June 4 - 7: Poster on display at the U.S. Conference of Mayor's 94th Annual Meeting in Long Beach, CA
All submitted posters will be added to a digital collection with the City of Alexandria
Ownership & Copyright
Upon entry and submission, all artwork submitted for this contest will be the property of the City and will not be returned to the artist.
Each artist retains all copyrights in and to their original artwork submitted to the City. By submitting an entry, the artist grants the City a non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, publish, display, distribute, and archive images of the submitted artwork for governmental purposes, including contest administration, public exhibition, public communications, educational use, and historical documentation, in any media now known or later developed. The artist represents and warrants that the submission is the artist's original work, does not infringe any third-party rights, and the artist has obtained any necessary permissions/releases for any identifiable persons, copyrighted material, or trademarked elements included in the artwork. The submitted artwork may be signed by the original artist. The City will credit the artist when reasonably practicable.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
While the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be helpful and innovative submissions for this poster contest must be original works created by a human and may not include generative AI content. This includes any tool or feature that generates new visual elements (including text-to-image, image-to-image, generative fill/expand, style transfer, and automated "create an image/design" functions). Artists may still use standard digital design software for non-generative functions such as formatting, cropping, resizing, color correction, layering, vector drawing, and typography. The City may request drafts or working files to confirm compliance. Entries may be disqualified if found to include generative AI content.
Where to pick up FREE poster paper
Please remember that the paper is larger than needed. The final artwork should not exceed 24 inches wide by 32 inches high.
Poster paper is available for free to contest participants and can be picked up at these locations:
Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center
25 West Reed Avenue
Mount Vernon Recreation Center
2701 Commonwealth Avenue
Patrick Henry Recreation Center
4653 Taney Avenue
William Ramsay Recreation Center
5650 Sanger Avenue
Charles Houston Recreation Center
901 Wythe Street
Poster Drop Off Locations
You can drop off your completed poster and entry form at these Alexandria locations:
Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center
25 West Reed Avenue
Mount Vernon Recreation Center
2701 Commonwealth Avenue
Patrick Henry Recreation Center
4653 Taney Avenue
William Ramsay Recreation Center
5650 Sanger Avenue
Oswald Durant Center
1605 Cameron Street
Charles Houston Recreation Center
901 Wythe Street
Required Entry Form
Please complete this entry form and attach it to your poster when you drop it off.