Your work or art will be reviewed for interpretation of theme, creativity, and technique. In the event of a tie, your connection to the theme will be most heavily weighted.
There is no single, agreed-upon definition for “culture.” Rather, according to the United Nations, culture encompasses all that a group of people does that makes them similar to each other, but different from other people in the world, including knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs, and habits.
On one level, culture is expressed through holidays, food, clothing, music, language, art and tradition. But it can also be found in quieter, everyday moments: the tradition of generations gathering for a family reunion, how one’s name is pronounced, stories passed down from loved ones about a hometown hero, values taught in a school community or on the football field.
“What My Culture Means to Me” asks you to think about culture not only as something you inherit, but also something you live, celebrate, question and share. It encourages you to consider the people, places, traditions and values that have shaped your lives, and then to share those reflections through the arts.
As you begin thinking about your Reflections entry, you might ask yourself:
What traditions, people, places or memories help me understand who I am?
What is something about my culture that makes me feel proud?
How does my culture shape the way I see myself, my family or my community?
What do I wish others understood about my culture?
What story do I want my artwork to tell?
These questions can help you move beyond simply naming a tradition to begin exploring why it is important to you.