Attention artists and visionaries. The Coastal Alabama Business Chamber invites you to make a splash in the 51st Annual National Shrimp Festival by participating in the highly anticipated Poster Contest. Embark on a creative journey that could see your artwork become the face of this iconic event, contributing not only to its visual identity but also influencing the festival's retail merchandise.

The Coastal Alabama Business Chamber announced the launch of the 51st Annual National Shrimp Festival Poster Contest, inviting artists to showcase their creativity for this celebrated event. The contest officially opened on Monday, Jan. 8. The submission deadline set for 2 p.m. on April 5. For the first time since 2020, the poster contest is open to the general public.

The winning design, selected by April 26, will become the official poster of the 51st Annual National Shrimp Festival, contributing to the festival's success and retail merchandise development.

Non-winning submissions can be retrieved at the Chamber office throughout May, with any remaining artwork becoming the property of the Chamber after May 31.

When crafting their pieces, artists are urged to consider the festival's themes of Art, Food, and Music, incorporating the festival year (2024), festival location (Gulf Shores) and festival name (51st Annual National Shrimp Festival). The poster's actual size should be 18 inches horizontal by 24 inches vertical, leaving a border area. Suitable materials include poster board, paper, canvas, or any medium easily scanned and reproduced.

Artists can mail their poster creations to the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber at P.O. Drawer 3869, Gulf Shores, AL 36547, or drop them off in person at 3150 Gulf Shores Parkway, Gulf Shores.

The winning artist will receive a one-time payment of $1,000, and if under 18, a parent's signature on the contract is required to claim the prize money. Additionally, the winning artist may contribute small elements from their artwork for potential use in official Shrimp Festival merchandise, such as left chest designs and hats/visors.

The winning artist must agree to relinquish ownership of the artwork, making it the exclusive property of the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber and the Annual National Shrimp Festival.

Further commitments from the winning artist include signing and numbering 100 prints within a 30-day period and being present for a minimum of four hours on Saturday, Oct. 12, to sign posters and souvenirs for festival attendees.

For more information or inquiries, interested participants can reach out to Coastal Alabama Business Chamber vice president of events and community relations Steve Jones at steve@mygulfcoastchamber.com.