New Deadline for America 250 Poster Contest is April 22

New Deadline for America 250 Poster Contest is April 22

Published on April 15, 2026

The City of Lincoln today extended the deadline to April 22 for entries for the America 250 City Art Poster Project. The original deadline was April 15. For contest details and to enter, visit lincoln.ne.gov/250poster.

The contest is a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Conference of Mayors to commemorate America's semiquincentennial.

Artists are invited to create posters with themes that convey civic pride, celebrate Lincoln's past, and inspire optimism for the next 250 years. Category winners will be displayed locally, and Lincoln's official selected poster will be submitted to the national America 250 project for potential inclusion in national displays and publications.

Artists may submit one entry in one of the following divisions:

• Youth (Kindergarten through Grade 5)
• Middle and High School (Grades 6 through 12)
• Amateur (Adult non-professional / hobbyist artists)
• Professional (Experienced or working artists)

A committee of community members will present two finalists in each category for Mayor Gaylor Baird to determine the final winner. Submissions will be evaluated on:

• Creativity and originality
• Relevance to the America 250 theme
• Visual impact and design quality
• Integration of Lincoln's identity or community stories

The contest timeline is as follows (subject to change):

• Submission deadline: April 22
• City judging and selection: April 29
• Local winners announced: May 8