Coastal America Ocean Art Contest 2008

The Coastal America Ocean Art Contest was created to use art to provide a visual expression of the importance of the ocean through the seven Essential Principles of ocean literacy created by the Ocean Literacy Network. The purpose is to enhance public awareness of the importance of the ocean, and to convey how a person's actions affect the ocean.

The Contest was sponsored through Coastal America's Learning Center network, a network of aquaria, marine education centers and marine laboratories across the United States and Mexico. It was open to all students enrolled in grades K-12 and college and university students. Out of the thousands of entries that were submitted, twenty National Winners were selected by a judging panel comprised of ocean scientists, artists and explorers. The winners were judged on the visual impact of their artwork, communication of an essential principle of ocean literacy and artistic merit.

At the conclusion of the Art Contest the 20 winners were displayed at the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History, the National Aquarium in Baltimore and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

All of the Regional and National Winners' art work and essays are available to view on the Coastal America website. To view or download a high resolution version of each image, double click on the image thumbnail. To read the narrative prepared by the contestant, double click on the contestant's name located below the thumbnail of the images.

View the Press Event Slideshow

icon Ocean Art Contest 2008 National Judges Bios (91.88 kB)

icon Coastal America Press Release on Ocean Art Contest and Ocean Today Kiosk (77.59 kB)

icon Coastal America Media Advisory on Ocean Art Contest and Ocean Today Kiosk (78.04 kB)

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