Scotts Valley Recreation, in collaboration with the city’s arts commission, is asking residents of Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley to submit their poetry and art for this year’s Expressions of the Valley poetry and art contest.
Following last year’s theme, “Explore,” this year’s theme is “Belong.”
Poets are allowed to submit one seven-stanza or 200-word poem that conveys this year’s theme, and must submit their work via Google form.
For both the poetry and art categories, one winner will be chosen from each category: first through third grades, fourth and fifth grades, middle school, high school and adult.
All poems will be published in the Expressions of the Valley 2026 poetry book, and winners will receive copies.
Artists may submit one 2-foot-by-3-foot art piece of watercolor, acrylic, photography, collage or drawing – pencil, pastels, chalk, markers – that conveys this year’s theme. Artists must also include a small description of the art piece.
Only 2D art is accepted.
Artists must submit their work to the Scotts Valley Recreation office at Skypark, located at 361 Kings Village Rd., with contact name, email, number, and piece title.
Winners in both the art and poetry categories will be recognized at the Expressions of the Valley Art & Poetry Showcase on May 14 at the Scotts Valley Community Center, and all art will be displayed.
One winning art piece will be chosen as the cover for the Expressions of the Valley 2026 poetry book, and winners will receive copies.
The deadline to submit poems and/or art is April 1.
To learn more or to see the work of last year’s winners, visit the Scotts Valley Recreation website.
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