The Colony turns 50 in 2027, and the city is asking its youngest residents to draw the place first.
Entries for the Fifty Years of The Colony Art Contest are due at The Colony Public Library, 6800 Main St., by Saturday, Oct. 31, according to the contest rules. The library's posted Saturday hours run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Who can enter and what to make
Any child who lives in The Colony and is in first through fifth grade can take part, whether they attend a local elementary school or are homeschooled. The assignment: show a favorite place, scene or pastime around town.
The rules set some limits. Art must be original, family friendly and done by hand, with no digital work and no AI. Copyrighted characters are not allowed; the city's examples are Pokemon, Pete the Cat and Mickey Mouse.
Pieces have to be flat enough to scan and stay inside the lines of the provided template. Paint, markers, crayons, colored pencils, pastels, pens and collage are all accepted. Entries will not be given back, so the city suggests making a copy first.
Submission forms have gone out to local elementary schools and can also be picked up at the library.
Prizes and judging
A winner will be picked in each grade, and the best of those will be featured on the front of the city's summer PlayTC! catalog, its parks and recreation guide. Judges will be city staff, council members and officers of the library's Friends group, which is paying for the contest.
The city plans to reach winners in December. Every entry will be displayed at the library in January, and on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2027, the winners will be honored at a council reception celebrating the anniversary.
