By Elizabeth Abbott
The Otsego Arts Council is excited to host the fourth Otsego Arts Competition, formerly known as The Art Thing.
Beginning in 2021, this event has been an opportunity for local artists to display art and compete for cash prizes. The last competition was held in October 2023.
After a time of regrouping, the Arts Council is bringing it back in the spring to avoid conflict with other Otsego events. Artists in all kinds of media are invited to submit their art to the competition.
This year’s competition will be at the Otsego District Public Library and run from May 3 to 10. Paintings, photography, sketches, sculptures and other 3-D art will be displayed at the library for that entire week for a period of public voting.
There will be both an adult division and a junior division.
Conrad Kaufman, a well-known artist and muralist from Kalamazoo, will choose first, second and third-place winners for a juried competition based on criteria such as technical merit, creativity, composition, and emotional impact.
Cash prizes will be awarded for each juried place. There will also be People’s Choice awards, which will be voted on by the public. Prizes will be given to first and second place People’s Choice winners in the junior division, and a $500 prize will be awarded for a People’s Choice adult winner.
The mission of the Otsego Arts Council is to create, support and celebrate the arts in the greater Otsego community. The Otsego Arts Competition is one of two major annual events established to achieve this mission, along with the Artisan Market, which takes place in June.
Other events and activities sponsored by the Otsego Arts Council include a rock painting night as part of Otsego’s Summer Fun Nights series, the Art Garden downtown Otsego and murals along the waterfront and the TOP pavilion.
The Otsego Arts Council is a subsidiary of Together Otsego Prospers, a 501c3 designed to continue the downtown development and betterment formerly spearheaded by the Main Street grant program.
The Otsego Arts Competition call for entries is live now. The entry form can be accessed through the Together Otsego Prospers website at: https://www.togetherotsegoprospers.org/otsego-arts or in person at the Otsego District Public Library.
To make this event possible, the Arts Council is looking for as many artists as possible. The reach of the competition goes far beyond Otsego.
Artists of all kinds are encouraged to participate. Art is worth celebrating and showcasing and this event strives to connect artists and art enthusiasts together for mutual encouragement. Any questions can be directed to Carmen Moore at otsegoartscompetition@gmail.com.
Special thanks to the Otsego Arts Council’s 2025 sponsors: First National Bank of Michigan, Ready Network Services, Steensma Lawn & Power, Parker FSC, Native Connections, Lakeshore Golf Properties, Stacey Withee, Mezzo Coffee House, SKP Design, DeLavern Duo of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Otsego Barber Shop (Aaron Warnez), TKH Group PC, and Bellflower LLC.
