Climate Art Contest Announced - World of Pop Culture

The Gulf oil disaster is but one example of the ways in which our fossil fuel economy is impacting the planet we call home. But as bad as this catastrophe is, the specter of global climate change looms even larger as a threat to sustaining life on Earth. Despite overwhelming evidence — species extinction and dwindling water supplies to mass migrations and mega-storms — the public is still unclear what climate really means for them.

That is why we are calling on artists worldwide to participate in the CoolClimate Art Contest – the first online art contest exploring climate change in its many forms – how it is impacting our lives and what can be done to ensure a sustainable future for all of Earth’s inhabitants.

Artist brief: submit a work of art that explores our relationship with the climate – from clean energy jobs to pollution-free oceans – the subject choice is yours. You can submit a piece you’ve already made, or pass this email along and get an artist friend involved. Post your art on coolclimate.deviantart.com and you will be eligible to win prizes, be featured on the Planet Green Planet100 show and be displayed at key leader events nationwide on 10/10/10.

A panel of esteemed judges will select 20 finalists from hundreds of submissions. The finalists will then move to Huffington Post for public voting utilizing the Huffington Post’s innovative online social voting tool. Judges include:

• Mel Chin (artist)

• Philippe Cousteau (ecologist)

• Agnes Gund (collector & philanthropist)

• Van Jones (environmental activist)

• David Ross (curator)

• Carrie Mae Weems (artist)

• Jackson Browne (musician) and Dianna Cohen (artist)

• Chevy Chase (Comedian) and Jayni Chase (philanthropist)

Submissions are now open and will close on August 23, 2010. You can read the Official Contest Rules on the CoolClimate Group Page.

Historically the creative community has always helped to create new and expanded visions of possibility during difficult times and we look forward to the artist’s vision for a cool and sustainable future.