Poster Contest Requirements

Official ICAW 2025 Guidelines – Please read carefully.  If design entries do not follow these requirement exactly, the design will be eliminated and not entered into the contest:

1. Fee: Free!
    
2. Entries per person: Entries are limited to ONE SUBMISSION PER ARTIST.
    
3. Submitting your entry: You must complete the online entry form application and checklist, and submit your poster online. Please include a short paragraph on why you chose to participate in the ICAW 2025 poster contest and give an explanation of your poster concept.
    
4. The poster must include the following:
   International Compost Awareness Week
   May 4 – 10, 2025
   Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost!
   
   The theme does not have to be below the date. You can use your creativity but please make sure everything can be easily read from a distance. Do not add additional words or numbers to your poster. Failure to follow these instructions will disqualify your poster
    
5. The concept and images of the poster should be based on the benefits of compost and composting food and yard waste. Compost is the focus of the contest. The judges will especially look for images that demonstrate that organic materials are a key component to healthy soils and for keeping soils and the environment healthy in the future. When creating your poster, please remember that the winning poster will be reproduced and distributed nationally. The Compost Research & Education Foundation’s logo, along with sponsor logos, will be added to the poster below the winning image. Do not add any logos to your design.

    
6. Only ORIGINAL artwork will be considered. Please check your spelling; Any misspelled words or incorrect numbers will disqualify your poster!
    
7. Posters that include personal or corporate information or product endorsements will be disqualified.
    
8. Copyrighted Images/Subjects: Copyrighted, trademarked products, packaging, brand names and advertisements may not be used within the poster. Original signed release forms are required for persons, whether public or private citizens, who are photographed and appear on the poster. Release forms can be as simple as a paragraph stating “permission” from “subjects” with a printed list of names of the individuals appearing and signed by the individuals. If the subject is under 18 the release form must be signed by a parent or guardian. This rule will be strictly enforced.

    
9. Electronic Resolution and Format: Artwork is to be submitted in electronic format with a resolution of 300 dpi and in jpg format. (Note: Poster Winner will be requested to resubmit poster at higher resolution for reproduction purposes.) Poster should measure 12” wide X 18” high and be vertical (portrait) in orientation.

    
10. Judging and winner selection: All entries will be reviewed by the judges to get down to the top 15 between the two categories. A final vote will be made by CREF donors and volunteers and USCC members to pick the winning design.

• Grades 9 to 12
• College students and adults

The competition will be judged on the following criteria (40 points maximum):

• Marketability of poster to multiple audiences - 10 points.
• Creative and original artwork and idea - 10 points.
• Attractiveness in terms of design and neatness of layout - 10 points.
• Overall Impact, all graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand the poster theme - 10 points.

The overall winner will receive a $500 prize.

11. Final poster: The Compost Research & Education Foundation’s ICAW Committee reserves the right to alter the final poster design or to reject all submissions for the final poster design. All submissions become the property of the Compost Research & Education Foundation and may be used for commercial purposes. No entries will be returned.

12. Deadline: November 1, 2024, 12 midnight EST

For questions, please send an email to info@compostfoundation.org