Black History Month - submissions

Call for Submissions
In recognition of Black History month the Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) is inviting Newmarket youth Grades 1 to 12 who self-identify as the people of African descent to submit artwork in any medium responding to the theme Still I Rise: Celebrating stories of strength, courage, and innovation.

The call for submissions deadline extended to January 18th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. EST. This is an opportunity for Newmarket youth to share and express their own individual stories for the community to see. Students can interpret the theme in any way they see fit, however, they must provide a brief description of the artwork and how it relates to the theme. Ten (10) artworks will be chosen from a panel of jurors consisting of members from NACCA, the Town of Newmarket, and a local guest artist. The selected artworks will be on display at the Old Town Hall from February 1st to 23rd, 2019 in the Community Gallery.
Youth Art Award: Prizes will be awarded to three (3) chosen students.

In Honour of February 2019 Black History Month

Newmarket Old Town Hall is partnering with the local emerging community group, Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) to celebrate Black History Month during February 2019.
"We are a group of like-minded individuals who are committed to sharing and celebrating our stories, the stories that form the foundation of our collective history." - NACCA
Working closely in partnership with the Town of Newmarket to create a welcoming and supportive environment, NACCA is actively building a strong and integrated community where black youths are connected to their past while firmly stepping into their future. Click here for their story by NewmarketToday.

This year's theme: Still I Rise: Celebrating stories of strength, courage, and innovation
Jerisha Grant-Hall, Chairperson of NACCA explains:
" Still I Rise is a proclamation that, despite the odds, African Canadians continue to contribute vibrantly to Canadian culture, heritage and identity. From the condition of eighteenth century enslavement, displacement and dispossession to the attempted economic, social and psychological disembodiment of African peoples, Blacks in the New World continue to rise. We have developed strategies of resistance and survival ranging from negro spiritual songs to becoming conduits for freedom and change. "Still I Rise" invokes the African as the subject of her destiny and dismantles nineteenth century racist ideology that the African does not possess the mental faculties to make decisions about her own affairs. It is an invocation against the impact of entrenched racism and racialization on the lives of African peoples.
Today, we celebrate our stories —the small narratives that tell the truth about who we are, even as we stand on the shoulders of those who have paved the way for us. It is by enormous strength and courage that we have emerged in the twenty-first century as entrepreneurs, innovators and change makers even while facing the harsh realities of post-colonialism, post-imperialism and paternalism. By celebrating our stories, we signal and root our presence in the space we occupy. We rise with strength, courage and determination to create something new of ourselves in the world we were so forcibly and unapologetically led to occupy."

How to Enter

Submission Deadline: January 18th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. EST.
Cost: No fee for entry
Eligibility: All Newmarket elementary and secondary school students are eligible to apply.Each student can submit one (1) piece of artwork in any medium for consideration. We are open to any forms of art (e.g. photography, painting, sculpture, multimedia, video, etc.)
Submission Details: Submission to be made via email to [email protected] with subject headline "Still I Rise Submission" or in person on a USB to the kiosk of the Old Town Hall (460 Botsford Street, Newmarket, ON L3Y 1T1) during the hours of operation, Tuesday to Friday, from Noon to 6 p.m.
A JPG image of the proposed artwork AND a document (in WORD or PDF format) that includes the following information:

• Artist name
• Title of artwork
• Year of creation
• Medium
• Dimensions (length, width, height)
• Brief explanation about the artwork and how it relates to the theme
• Full contact information (full name, phone number or email) * For students under the age of 18 years, parental guardian contact information is required to enter.
• Name of school currently attending

You will be contacted by a member of the Old Town Hall if your artwork has been selected for the Group Exhibition with further information about logistics and installation.
Any further inquiries: Contact Logan Bales, Gallery Coordinator, Curator at [email protected]