Art Contest

“IMAGINE A DAY WITHOUT WATER”– 2026 CHILDREN’S ART CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES

BY REGISTERING FOR THIS CONTEST, YOU, THE PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF A CHILD ENTERING THIS CONTEST, FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREE TO COMPLY WITH ALL THE RULES AND REGULATIONS BELOW.  IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH ANY OF THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS, DO NOT REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR THIS CONTEST AND DO NOT SUBMIT AN ENTRY.

I. Contest Description and Overview

The WaterShed is hosting its “Imagine a Day Without Water” children's art contest to celebrate and educate about the essential role of water in sustaining life. The theme of this year’s contest is “Imagine Idaho Without Water.” Water is essential for all living creatures. Plants need water to survive.  Animals and insects depend on clean water every day for their habitat and hydration. Humans need water to live and stay healthy. Imagining Idaho without the water needed to drink, bathe, or play is challenging.

II. Overview

All Contest entries, information, questions, or comments shall be directed to the Contest Administrators. No purchase, payment, or donation is necessary to enter to win; a purchase, payment, or donation will not increase the chance of winning.   

III. Agreement to the Official Rules

By entering this contest, you, and if you are a minor, your parents/legal guardian, indicate your full and unconditional agreement to all the Official Rules as set forth herein and to the Contest Administrator’s (defined below) decisions, which shall be final and binding.  Failure to accept these Official Rules prohibits participation in this Contest, voids any participation in this Contest, and renders any submission ineligible for an award under this Contest.  You, and if you are a minor, your parents/legal guardian, additionally fully and unconditionally agree that City is hereby completely released of all liability in relation to your participation in this Contest.

 IV. Contest Sponsors and Contest Administrators

1. The Contest is sponsored by the City of Boise WaterShed, 6411 N Ancell Ave, Boise, ID 83714.
2. A panel of qualified judges (“Judges”) comprised of three (3) City of Boise employees who work at or with The WaterShed, in their absolute and sole discretion, shall judge all Contest entries and determine the winner of this Contest. The City reserves the right to select substitute judges or modify the judging panel at any time and for any reason.
3. The Sponsor and Judges (collectively the “Contest Administrators”) shall work in conjunction to administrate this Contest. Contest Administrators have full authority to enforce any and all rules and regulations set forth herein.

 V. Eligibility

1. Unless otherwise provided for by the Contest Rules and Regulations, you are eligible to enter if you meet all of the following requirements at the time of entry:
   1. You, the child contest participant, as of September 21, 2026, are at least at minimum four (4) years old, and are no older than twelve (12) years old; and
   2. You are a permanent resident in Ada, Boise, or Canyon County; and
   3. You have submitted your contest entry to the required standards, with your entry including all required information, by the required date and time for submission; and
   4. Your contest entry is submitted by your parent or legal guardian; and
   5. You are NOT the child of an employee, elected or appointed official, or volunteer with the City of Boise or any of its departments, offices, or subdivisions.
2. The Sponsor reserves the right to limit or restrict, upon notice, participation in the Contest to any person at any time for any reason in its sole discretion or the discretion of the Contest Administrators.  
3. Contest Participants and their parents or legal guardians are responsible for any costs or expenses associated with preparing and submitting their Contest entry.

 VI. Contest Period

1. The Contest begins at 08:00:00 (8:00 a.m.) United States Mountain Time (“MT”) on September 21, 2026, and ends at 16:30:00 (4:30 p.m.) MT on October 12, 2026. The Contest Administrators’ clock is the official timekeeping device for this Contest. Late contest entries submitted shall be automatically disqualified.
2. The Contest Administrators reserve the right in their sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Contest and these Rules and Regulations for any reason.

 VII. Representations and Warranties

1. By participating in this Contest, each participant and their parents or legal guardian, hereby warrant and represent that the contest entry submission:
   1. Is original work created solely by the child contest participant – no assistance or collaboration on the artwork was provided;
   2. Does not violate any law, statute, ordinance, or regulation;
   3. Does not infringe or violate any rights of any third-party or entity, including, without limitation, patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, defamation, privacy, publicity, false-light, misappropriation, confidentiality, or any other contractual rights;
   4. Is not defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene;
   5. Does not contain, depict, include, discuss or involve, without limitation, nudity, alcohol, illicit drugs, smoking, explicit or graphic sexual activity, sexual innuendo, vulgar or offensive language or symbols, derogatory characterization or any ethnic, racial, sexual, religious or other groups, personal information, commercial messages or solicitations, clothing or symbols related to criminal groups (e.g. gangs), or any other comment or behavior that is or could be considered inappropriate, unsuitable, or offensive by the Contest Administrators in their sole and absolute discretion.
2. Any entry that the Contest Administrators deem in their sole and absolute discretion to violate the terms and conditions outlined in the Rules is subject to disqualification. The Contest Administrators reserve the right, at any time and for any reason, to request an entrant to modify, edit, or resubmit their entry to ensure that the entry post complies with these Rules, or for any other reason. 
3. The Participant and their parents or legal guardian agree to release and hold harmless the Contest Administrators, and any other organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising, or promoting the Contest, and all their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, and representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities. These claims, expenses and liabilities include, but are not limited to, negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, infringement of trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights, property damage, or death or personal injury arising out of or relating to a Contest submission, creation of an entry of submission for an entry, participation in the Contest, acceptance or use or misuse of prize, and/or the broadcast, transmission or use of the entry.  The Released Parties shall be held harmless by any Participant and their parents or legal guardian in the event it is subsequently discovered that such Participant departed from or did not fully comply with any of these Rules.
4. Released Parties are not responsible for: 1) any incorrect or inaccurate information; 2) for any incomplete, failed, or delayed transmission of any registration, application or submissions due to the internet, including, but not limited to interruption or delays caused by equipment or software malfunctions or other technical problems; 3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Contest; 4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Contest or processing of entries; or 5) any injury or damage to persons or property that may be caused directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from participation in the Contest or receipt or use or misuse of any prize.
5. No entry submission will be received or held “in confidence” and under no circumstances will any Submission create a confidential relationship or obligation of secrecy between Contest Participants and the Contest Administrators, other participants, or any other party.
6. Sponsors make no warranties, express or implied, for the prize.
7. Participants, and their parents or legal guardians, hereby agree to release and waive any and all claims of legal actions or claims against the Released Parties for any damaged or lost original artwork contest submission.

 VIII. General Standards for Entries

1. There are two (2) age categories for this contest: ages 4-8 years, and ages 9-12 years.
2. To be eligible for judging, all submissions in this Contest must meet all the following general standards:
   1. All contest submissions must include:
      1. a fully completed entry form that shall include the name of the Contest Participant, the Contest Participant’s age, the Contest Participant’s permanent mailing address, the phone number of the Contest Participant’s parent or legal guardian, and the email address of the Contest Participant’s parent or legal guardian; and
      2. either the original artwork or a reproduction of the original art as specified below; and
   2. Submitted artwork shall comply with the following specifications: Is original work created solely by the child contest participant – no assistance or collaboration on the artwork is allowed;
      1. must be original artwork created solely by the child contest participant without assistance from or collaboration with anyone else;
      2. must convey the contest theme “Imagine Idaho Without Water”;
      3. be created on the supplied official entry form, which is 8.5”x11” in size;
      4. be created using any medium (e.g., paint, crayon, markers, colored pencils);
      5. must be two-dimensional – no three-dimensional entries.
   3. Contest submissions (including artwork and entry form) shall be provided through one of the following methods:
      1. Drop-off: The WaterShed Environmental Education Center, 6411 N Ancell Ave, Boise, ID 83714 (Hours Monday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.); or
      2. Mail: The WaterShed, Attn: Student Art Contest, 6411 N Ancell Ave, Boise, ID 83714 (all entries must be RECEIVED no later than October 12, 2026);or
      3. Email: digital scan or photograph sent to WaterShed@cityofboise.org with the subject line stating “Children’s Art Contest.”
   4. Contest Participants submitting reproductions of their original artwork via email shall either:
      1. be a full color digital photograph in JPG format, in the highest resolution possible (preferably 300 ppi or better); or  
      2. Be a full color digital scan in PDF, JPG, or TIF format.  
   5. Contest Participants must comply with all Contest Rules and Regulations set forth herein.
   6. All contest entries (including digital entries) must be submitted between 8:00 a.m. MT on September 21, 2026, and no later than 4:30 p.m. MT on October 12, 2026.
3. All Contest Participants may submit multiple entries for this Contest.
4. By submitting an entry, you and your parents/legal guardian agree that the photograph, scan, or physical original artwork, and all accompanying contest entry information comply with all the conditions stated in these Rules.

 IX. Judging and Selection of a Winner

1. The panel of Judges shall conduct the selection of the first, second, and third place winners on October 13,
2. Entries shall be judged based on the following criteria:
   1. Creativity – the overall originality, style, and imaginative ideas expressed (up to 25 points);
   2. Alignment with contest theme – the clarity and power of communicating the theme (up to 30 points);
   3. Composition – the use of color and contrast, the use of space, balance, proportion, focal point, and visual organization (up to 25 points); and
   4. Craftsmanship – the attention to detail, overall technique with the medium, neatness, and careful finish of the art (up to 20 points).
3. Failure to comply with all Contest Rules and the entry criteria shall result in the disqualification of the entry.
4. The Judges shall determine all scoring and evaluation in their sole and absolute discretion.
5. All decisions of the Judges are final and binding.
6. The Judges, in their sole discretion, will review all eligible final entries submitted during the contest period and select the winner based on the judging criteria above.

X. Notification and Requirements of Potential Winner

1. The Sponsor shall contact the winners via email within one (1) day of selecting the winning entries, with instructions on how to claim their prize, or may mail the prizes to the winners at the mailing addresses provided on their contest entry form.  
2. The Contest Administrators shall announce the winner on the City’s websites and/or social media channels on October 14, 2026.
3. To obtain the name of the winners of this Contest, send such a request with a separate, self-addressed, stamped envelope to The WaterShed, 6411 N Ancell Ave, Boise, ID 83714.

XI. Prizes

1. For each category of this contest, there shall be awarded first, second, and third place. The prizes for the winners shall be supplied by the City of Boise and are as follows:

2. Prizes awarded are not redeemable for cash. No prize is transferable. No substitution for a prize will be made at the request of a winner. The Contest Administrators reserve the right to substitute a prize of similar value.
3. Each winner is solely responsible for all taxes or fees that may be incurred.

XII. Sponsors’ Rights to Artwork

By participating in this Contest, each participant (through their parent or legal guardian) unequivocally and irrevocably grants the City exclusive, sole ownership in the submitted artwork, including any and all intellectual property interests therein, and waives any privacy rights, moral rights, or any other legal rights that may preclude the City’s use of the submitted artwork or reproduction thereof. 

XIII. Publicity and Personal Information and COPPA

1. Acceptance of any prize constitutes permission by the Contest Participant and their parents or legal guardian, for Contest Administrators to disclose, publish, or display the winning Contest Participant’s name, age, and hometown online, in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Contest, without compensation or payment.
2. Any contest entry submitted via email must be sent directly by, or with the explicit written permission of, the Contest Participant’s parent or legal guardian. In compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Sponsor collects minimal personal information—such as the parent or guardian's email address and the minor's entry details—solely to administer the Contest, notify potential winners, and fulfill prizes, without using this data for unrelated marketing purposes. A parent or legal guardian retains the right at any time to review, request deletion of, or refuse further collection or use of their child’s personal information by contacting the Sponsor at WaterShed@cityofboise.org with the subject line "COPPA Request – [Contest Name]." Upon receiving a deletion request or revocation of consent, the Sponsor will promptly remove the associated personal data from its records, which may result in the entry’s disqualification from the Contest.

XIV. General Conditions

1. Force Majeure. The Contest Administrators reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to cancel, suspend, and/or modify the Contest, or any part thereof, if any fraud, technical failures, virus, bug, bot, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event occurs that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled and would affect the fairness and/or integrity of this Contest.
2. Any participant who attempts to compromise the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Contest, or Contest Administrators have reason to believe have compromised the integrity or legitimate operation of this Contest by cheating, hacking, engaging in unfair playing practices towards other participants, Sponsors, or Contest Administrators (including but not limited to harassing, abusing, threatening behavior), or committing fraud in any way will be automatically disqualified and banned from participating in all future Contests and may be liable for damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.
3. Governing Law. The Contest and the rights and obligations of all Contest Participants and submissions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Idaho without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws. The Idaho courts (state and federal) have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute or controversy arising out of or related to these Contest Rules and all Contest Participants by and through their parents or legal guardian, hereby agree to waive any objections to jurisdiction or venue in those courts and submit to the jurisdiction of those courts. 
4. If any provision of these Rules should be held to be void, invalid, unenforceable, or illegal by a proper legal authority, the validity and enforceability of the other provisions shall not be affected.