We’re looking for photographs! Help your county showcase the great landmarks and historic sites in your region! The Hildegard Center for the Arts, in partnership with the Nebraska State Historical Society and the Nebraska Tourism Commission, is calling on photographers everywhere to capture images of historic places from all 93 Nebraska counties.
The deadline for the Statewide Photography contest titled “Bridges: Sharing Our Past to Enrich the Future” is March 21, 2016. We don’t have submissions from these counties to date: Adams, Banner, Cheyenne, Deuel, Dundy, Frontier, Hamilton, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Kearney, Kimball, Logan, Loup, and Nuckolls. We also want a large selection from all the other counties. The photo call is sponsored by Hildegard Center for the Arts, in partnership with the Nebraska Tourism Commission and the Nebraska State Historical Society and endorsed by the Nebraska 150 Commission. Photographers everywhere (both amateur and professional) are being called to capture images of historic sites and hidden treasures found in all 93 counties across Nebraska. Selected photos will travel to six regions throughout the state to celebrate Nebraska’s 150th birthday in 2017. Five of the six regional exhibits have been secured: Durham Museum (Omaha), Seward Civic Center (Seward), UNL Great Plains Art Museum (Lincoln), North Platte Prairie Arts Center (North Platte), and Alliance Carnegie Arts Center (Alliance.) The sixth exhibit location will be announced soon. Submissions must be original photos (taken within the last five years) of historical sites either found on the National Register of Historic Places OR places of community/personal significance to the photographer. Photographs may be submitted online at the Hildegard Center for the Arts website, www.hildegardcenter.org. Multiple submissions are allowed. Chamber and CVB portfolio photographs (within the last five years) are also eligible. ENTRY RULES
- Submissions must be ORIGINAL photographs taken by the entrants themselves, in the state of Nebraska within the past five years.
- Entrants must be at least 15 years of age and do NOT need to be Nebraska residents.
- State agency representatives are welcome to participate; agencies must be identified with photographer’s name.
- Newspaper photographers are eligible to participate.
- Submissions must be in digital JPEG formats and have a resolution of at least 8 mega pixels. 300 DPI.
- Photographers may enter up to 5 images per submission for a non-refundable fee of $15. Multiple submissions are allowed.
- For a complete list of entry rules and judging criteria, go to hildegardcenter.org.
Contact Project Chair, Cathy Harrington, with questions: 402.730.6668 OR [email protected].
JURORS: The esteemed jurors for the Call include world-renowned National Geographic photographer, Joel Sartore; Professor Emeritus of University of Nebraska-Lincoln, George Tuck; and longtime Nebraska Life photographers, Bobbi and Steve Olson. EXHIBITION SPONSOR | STATEWIDE The Johnson Hardware Company – The Johnson Hardware Company is serving as a statewide sponsor for the Bridges Photo Call. Johnson Hardware Company has been supplying Nebraska with the tools, products and services needed by the building industry since 1855. In over 160 years of operation, the company has transitioned from supplying westbound wagon trains with food, clothing and hardware to becoming a visionary leader in the architectural and security hardware business. As one of Omaha’s oldest businesses, Johnson Hardware Company shares a special synergy with the historical nature of this project—connecting Nebraskans with their culture and heritage. EXHIBITION SPONSORS | REGIONAL Sponsors for the regional exhibits include: The Cattle National Bank (Seward), Trust & NebraskaLand National Bank (North Platte), Union Bank and Trust (Lincoln), and The Ethel S. Abbott Charitable Foundation (Lincoln.) ABOUT THE NEBRASKA 150 COMMISSION: On March 1, 2017, the State of Nebraska will celebrate its Sesquicentennial or 150th year of statehood. Planning is underway to commemorate this historic occasion with a yearlong celebration that will engage, educate and inspire the state’s citizenry while leaving a legacy for future generations. Regan Anson, Executive Director of the Nebraska 150 Celebration, said, “We are proud to lend our support to the Hildegard Center for the Arts’ Statewide Photography Call. The ‘Bridges’ project presents a unique opportunity for photographers of every skill to capture and showcase the beauty of every corner of our remarkable state.” 
ABOUT HILDEGARD CENTER FOR THE ARTS: Hildegard Center for the Arts (HCFA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization established in 2009. Its mission is to unite people of all beliefs, cultures and traditions to inspire humanity through the Arts. As an art center without walls, HCFA partners with organizations and communities to provide opportunities in the visual and performing arts. Hildegard is committed to expanding its outreach to traditional and nontraditional audiences alike and uses the arts and humanities as a vehicle to educate and deliver creative experiences. The Bridges Photography Call is part of a three-year initiative at Hildegard Center for the Arts called “Bridges,” – offering projects that connect communities and cultures through the arts. The office headquarters for Hildegard Center for the Arts is located at Old City Hall, 920 “O” St., Suite 1, Lincoln, NE, 68508.
