Paint the State Rules

Paint the State is a public art competition and large-scale community action program aimed at broadly communicating the risks of Meth use and inspiring Montanans to live vibrant drug-free lives through public works of art.

The rules of the contest are simple. Artists are asked to use the “Meth: Not Even Once” logo, “Not Even Once” tagline, or other anti-Meth / drug-free theme, a little inspiration, and a lot of imagination to create a work of art—any style, any medium—that’s clearly visible by the general public.

ELIGIBILITY

Individuals or teams may register. But at least one teen, 13-18 years old, must participate in the production of the teen artwork, and we are now accepting adult submissions for those over 19. So build your own artistic dream team by getting your friends, family and local organizations to lend a hand selecting a project site, collecting supplies, and creating the finished piece.

To qualify for consideration in the Paint the State contest, entries must meet the following minimum criteria:

  1. Teen Division: with at least one teen, age 13-18, must lead the team, having participated in the production of the artwork by performing significant design or physical work in its creation.
  2. Adult Division: with separate awards, will be for those 19 and older.
  3. Message & Artistic Merit: Each entry must be an original work of art—your style, your message, your medium of choice—with a clear Meth: Not Even Once or other anti-Meth theme. Entries will also be judged on the thought, planning, artistic effort, and creativity.
  4. Public Visibility: Your artwork must be clearly visible by the public from highways, streets, or other public places in Montana. You must obtain written permission from the property owner to enter onto the property to create and publicly display the artwork.
JUDGING CRITERIA

Here’s how judging works. Every qualifying piece has the chance to earn up to 100 points:

  1. Meth Prevention Message (up to 40 points). Your artwork must have a strong Meth prevention message. This can include the “Meth: Not Even Once” logo, “Not Even Once” tagline, or other anti-Meth / drug-free theme that clearly communicates the dangers of Meth use.
  2. Artistic Merit & Creativity (up to 40 points). Submissions will be evaluated on originality, creativity, visual appeal, and presentation.
  3. Public Visibility (up to 20 points). All submissions must be clearly in public view to qualify. How large and visible the artwork is (in other words, how many people can see it) will be an important part of determining winning entries. We are seeking monument-sized artwork at a minimum of 8 feet by 8 feet.
CONTEST RULES
  1. The Paint the State art contest is open to artists between the ages of 13 and up. Entrants must be between 13 and 18 years old on date of registration for the teen division and 19 and above for adults. Group leaders may enter multiple teams. Artwork may only be submitted once and could not be produced or entered in any other public art contests, including past Paint the State contests.
  2. To qualify for consideration in the Paint the State contest, it must be evident that contestant(s) put forth a good faith effort to produce a quality submission demonstrating thought, planning, and artistic effort.
  3. Entries must contain a clear anti-Meth message.
  4. Both teen and adults may register as a group. Each group must have a designated leader who is responsible for registration and securing parental permission for each member of the teen group under 18 years of age. The group leader will receive and will be responsible for the distribution of prize money to the group. At least one teen (age 13-18) must have participated in the production of the artwork by performing significant design or physical work in the creation of the artwork.
  5. Entries must be wholly original unpublished artwork and cannot incorporate or include anything, in whole or in part, that is owned or was created by any third party or that would require the consent or permission of any third party, and that does not violate any copyright, trademark, publicity right, privacy right or other intellectual property right of any third party.
  6. Artwork can easily be shared via email and on the artists’ individual social pages to encourage friends, family and social followers to vote online for your submission. Your friends and family can go to PaintTheState.org and vote online once per day for your submission. Daily voting is measured based on IP address, regardless of device. (i.e. if multiple devices are connected to the same network, only on device can register a vote for a specific piece of art each day.) This division of online popularity will be called the “People’s Choice” and will have its own award. Online voting for the “People’s Choice” awards will be open from July 17, 2023 at 5 p.m. MDT to August 17, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. MDT. The Montana Meth Project will be monitoring voting activity and reserves the right to remove votes with irregularities. Bot voting will not be allowed.
  7. Artwork will be judged in the county of display. If the artwork is mobile or visible from multiple counties, the submission will be judged in the county in which the display structure resides during the public display period
  8. If the art entry is located on property owned by someone other than the entrant, the entrant must have written permission from the property owner to enter onto the property to create and publicly display the artwork.
  9. All interpretations of rules will be determined by the Montana Meth Project and its decisions shall be final.
ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS
  1. The contest is not open to children of contest judges or of employees of the Montana Meth Project.
  2. Contestants agree to assign all copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property rights in their artwork and all photographs submitted in relation to the contest to the Montana Meth Project, P.O. Box 8944, Missoula, MT 59807.
  3. Each contestant who is under 18 will be required to have their parent or guardian sign the MONTANA METH PROJECT 2023 PAINT THE STATE PARENTAL CONSENT FORM, the “Release,” at https://paintthestate.org/Paint-the-State-Parental-Consent/ and submit to info@montanameth.org.
  4. The prizes being awarded may constitute income under applicable federal, state and local tax laws and winners shall be solely responsible for payment of any and all taxes which may be due with respect to the acceptance of the prize.
  5. By submitting an entry, each contestant and his/her parent or legal guardian agree: they have read, understand and will comply with these official rules; and, or to the extent permitted by law, consent to the use of the contestant’s name, and age for purposes of advertising and promotion by Montana Meth Project without further consent, compensation or approval. Each prize winner will also be required to sign a release of liability in favor of the Montana Meth Project: Paint the State Contest.
  6. Winning artwork is not guaranteed to be used on Montana Meth Project licensed merchandise or in connection with any other Montana Meth Project goods or materials.
  7. Submission of an entry constitutes an acknowledgement and agreement that all writings, other works of authorship, and improvements conceived, developed, or otherwise made by the participant in connection with the contest, alone or with others, whether prior to or following the date hereof, and relating to the contest, whether or not subject to copyright or patent protection (“Developments”) shall be the sole property of the Montana Meth Project, to be used by the Montana Meth Project for any and all purposes which the Montana Meth Project, in the determination of its board of directors, sees fit. Submission of an entry constitutes an agreement by the participant to assign to the Montana Meth Project all of their right, title, and interest throughout the world in and to all such Developments, including in any copyright, patent, or trademarks rights incorporated therein, without any further obligation or payment on the part of the Montana Meth Project in respect of such Developments. Submission of an entry constitutes an agreement by the participant that during and after the participant’s participation in the contest, the participant agrees to execute any documents necessary to perfect the assignment of such Developments to the Montana Meth Project and to enable the Montana Meth Project to apply for, obtain, and enforce any intellectual property rights worldwide on such Developments, without further consideration. Without limiting the foregoing, submission of an entry constitutes an acknowledgement by the participant that all original and copyrightable works of authorship by the participant, whether created alone or jointly with others, made in connection with his or her participation in the contest, are and shall be owned solely, completely, and exclusively by the Montana Meth Project, and all such works and all rights, including copyrights, in them throughout the world shall be and are hereby assigned or transferred completely and exclusively to the Montana Meth Project, to be used by the Montana Meth Project for any and all purposes which the Montana Meth Project, in the determination of its board of directors, sees fit. Submission of an entry constitutes an agreement by the participant to irrevocably designate counsel to the Montana Meth Project as the participant’s agent and attorney-in-fact to do all lawful acts to obtain copyrights and patents and otherwise enforce the Montana Meth Project’s rights as discussed in this paragraph. Submission of an entry constitutes an agreement by the participant to waive any and all moral rights or rights of attribution in any Developments created by the participant.
  8. By entering the Paint the State Contest, an adult contestant or a child contestant’s parent or guardian warrant and represent that the artwork is the child contestant’s sole and original work product and they agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Montana Meth Project and its directors, officers, employees, trustees, agents, attorneys, and their successors and assigns from and against any and all damages and expenses of any kind (including reasonable attorney’s fees, costs and litigation expenses) arising out of any claim or cause of action related to the creation, and display of entrant’s artwork and/or the entry or participation in this contest by entrant, and the reproduction, use, publication, display of entrant’s artwork, including but not limited to, indemnification for any copyright, trademark, right of privacy, right of publicity, or other intellectual property claims of actions brought by others, or any damages claims or other causes of action brought by third parties for actions related to or arising from the creation, display, reproduction, use or publication of the artwork or contestant’s participation in the contest. Contestant, and his/her parents or guardian (if contestant is under 18) hereby release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless the Montana Meth Project, its directors, officers, employees, trustees, agents, attorneys, and their successors and assigns from and against any and all other claims, demands, damages, causes of action, losses, liabilities, injuries or obligations, direct or indirect, known or unknown or any kind, nature or description whatever, which an adult contestant, or a child contestant’s parents, guardians, heirs, executors, successors or assigns may have or claim to have against the Montana Meth Project, its directors, officers, employees, trustees, agents, attorneys, and their successors and assigns arising out of the creation and display of the artwork and from participation in the contest, including, any future use of the artwork.
  9. Entering the Paint the State Contest, an adult contestant or a child contestant’s parent or guardian constitutes permission for the Montana Meth Project to use the contestant’s name, likeness, portrait, picture, voice, and/or image without further authorization, compensation, or remuneration of any kind for advertising, promotion, and other publicity purposes in any and all media now or hereafter known. Submission of an entry constitutes an agreement and acknowledgment that the Montana Meth Project is and will be the sole owner of all rights in and to the above.