Upper Darby is hosting an art contest for residents of Upper Darby Township. Find a complete list of rules and details below. Entries will be accepted from April 21st through June 30th.

Purpose: Public art is an essential part of every community. Artwork helps reflect the community and its surroundings, working to cultivate identity and attract people to its uniqueness. Artwork can revitalize the neighborhoods and business districts of Upper Darby and help beautify the community. The contest will provide a platform to engage local artists and create a more welcoming place to live, work, and visit.

What is a Controller Box: A controller box is an enclosure that contains a variety of instruments such as switches, knobs, sliders, and buttons. The controller box is completely safe and has no electrical current through it.

Examples of painted controller boxes  

The locations of the boxes for the contest will vary in size.

Eligible: Participants of the contest must be residents of Upper Darby Township and over 14 years of age.

Theme: The environment, nature, and trees.

Be it trees or flowers or a vast ocean, make it beautiful with your artistic skills! 

Locations of Controller Boxes:

• 69th and Market
• 69th and Ludlow
• 69th and Chestnut
• 69th and Sansom
• 69th and Walnut
• 69th and Marshall

Guidelines: One submission per person. Artwork will be painted on all 4 sides and should be drawn accordingly.

• The submission should include the following information: name, email, and address.
• The painting should have no words, phone numbers, or web addresses.
• No inappropriate themes: hate speech, political imagery, gore, or weapons.
• The winning artists must paint their artwork on the box by November 2023. There is a built-in budget for supplies.
• There is a small writing piece that is required to fill out with the submission form.

How to submit an entry:

Please complete and submit the Upper Darby Art Contest Submission Form.pdf by emailing mayor@upperdarby.org or mail to 100 Garrett Rd, Upper Darby, PA 19082.

Entries will be accepted from April 21st through June 30th.

Judges: The winners will be selected by members of the Upper Darby Planning Commission. The entries are broken into six categories based on the locations.

Winners: The illustrations selected will paint their design on controller boxes and:

• Winners will receive a cash prize of $1000.
• Artwork will be featured on Upper Darby Government’s social media.
• The winners will be announced on July 12, 2023.

Rules: All entries must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate any U.S. copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo or image (including a painting, graphic, or advertisement) that was created by someone other than the artist is a violation of the competition rules and will not be accepted. Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing).

Download Printable Flyer HERE.