(MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ) -- Middlesex County Office of Aging and Disabled Services, in collaboration with the Middlesex County Arts Institute, has announced the start of this year’s Older Adult Art Contest and Show. This contest is open to all creative older adults 60 years of age or over residing in Middlesex County. All entries must be submitted via the registration form by Wednesday, July 5.

“Once again Middlesex County’s Older Adult Art Contest and Show invites participants to ignite their artistic passion and showcase their talent,” said Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios. “On behalf of the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners, I’d like to encourage all older adults to unleash their creativity, celebrate self-expression, and join a vibrant community of artists by submitting their best work to this contest. Whether you express yourself via watercolor or photography, we look forward to seeing all the submissions!”

“Every year, this event produces outstanding works of art, and I am always eager to see the broad talent displayed by our older residents,” said Middlesex County Commissioner Claribel A. Azcona-Barber, chair of the Community Services Committee. “I am confident that the entries for 2023 will add to that legacy and continue to foster creativity within our communities.”

“The Older Adult Art Contest and Show is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the varied and extraordinary talents of our older adult community,” said Middlesex County Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum. “Through this event, we invite older artists to demonstrate their unique talents by painting their dreams, sculpting their visions, or expressing themselves in any of the many categories in this contest, and let their imagination shape our shared cultural tapestry.”

The Older Adult Art Contest and Show is open to both professional and non-professional arts and crafts enthusiasts 60 years of age or older and currently residing in Middlesex County. Entries must have been completed within the last three years and may not have been previously entered in prior Middlesex County Senior Citizen Art Shows or in the New Jersey Senior Citizens Art Show. Please note, only one entry per artist may be entered.

Artwork that wins first place at this year’s Middlesex County Older Adult Art Contest and Show will be automatically eligible to advance to the New Jersey Senior Citizen Art Show. The artworks will be on display from July 24 to August 21 at Studio Art Gallery at Middlesex College’s Performing Arts Center, located at 2600 Woodbridge Avenue in Edison.

Contest Categories

* Acrylic Painting

* Craft: one-of-a-kind original creations only, no craft kits or molds

* Digital (Computer) Art: artwork created using computer graphics software (does not include digital photographs)

* Mixed Media: art that combines two or more media (often non-traditional), and no one of the media clearly predominates; includes collage and assemblage

* Oil Painting

* Pastel: includes chalk (soft) and oil pastel

* Print: all print forms including, but not limited to, etching, linoleum block, lithograph, woodcut, monoprint, silkscreen, collagraph

* Photography: includes color, black and white, or tinted photographs taken with a film-based or digital camera

* Sculpture: work designed in three-dimensions, carved or constructed in any medium, abstract, or figurative

* Watercolor Painting: includes gouache (Note: Traditional watercolor often includes light pencil work and/or ink. They are still considered “watercolor” ― NOT “mixed media.”)

* Works on Paper: includes hand-drawn works in mediums including charcoal, pencil, colored pencil, graphite, ink, pen, crayon, or stylus of any sort

To learn more about the contest, including eligibility requirements and registration, please visit middlesexcountynj.gov and search for “Older Adult Art Contest and Show.” To request a printed registration form or if you have any questions, please email [email protected] or call 732-745-3295.

Middlesex County is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies, three universities, 19 park systems, and world-class healthcare and research facilities making it one of the nation’s most dynamic regions and a leader in technology, transportation, the arts, and food innovation. As one of the most diverse populations in the country, Middlesex County is home to over 860,000 residents living throughout 25 municipalities. The County's award-winning Middlesex County Magnet Schools system and two-year Middlesex College uphold its position as #1 in the state for best schools, offering secondary and postsecondary education and workforce development programs that create a unique ecosystem in which opportunities abound. Conveniently located between New York and Philadelphia, Middlesex County is a leading destination for businesses and residents alike to live, work, and play – and has been since the 17th century.