Information

The Arlington Independent School District proudly partners with the Safe City Commission of Ft. Worth in promoting the Imagine No Violence contest. Students are asked to create works of art focusing on the prevention of bullying, cyber bullying, dating violence, family violence, harassment, gang activity or suicide.

Through the contests, students are able to visually and verbally promote a culture of nonviolence, while inspiring them to have open dialogue in their schools and community.

Winning students from each school receives a cash prize and the 1st place winners from each school is entered in a grand prize for a trip to Disney World. The Imagine No Violence Contest is open to junior and high school art students. Last year, AISD had 1200 entries.

2014-2015 Grand Prize Winner From AISD!

Carson J. from Martin High School won the Grand Prize in this year's competition. Her entry, pictured here, was selected from over 55,000 entries. Carson wins an all expenses paid trip for four to Disney World and $1000 spending money.

Contest Guidelines

  • Purpose: To promote a culture of nonviolence through creative projects that inspire people to think, discuss solutions and take action.
  • Theme: “It’s not okay.”  Entries should focus on our community and the student’s personal role in promoting a more peaceful community. Entries may include, but are not limited to  (1) imagery of a non-violent community. (2) The necessity to stand up and speak out against violence, bullying, gangs and bigotry. (3) Peaceful solutions to social problems. (4) Ways to prevent violence. (5) The importance of having good self-esteem and high expectations for the future.
  • Eligibility: Open to Tarrant County area middle school and high school students.
  • Rules: Artwork should be produced by the student on the art board provided to the school by the Safe City Commission. Each student should submit a short paragraph on-line on the form accessible through the website explaining how their artwork depicts the theme. Submission of entries constitutes full permission to exhibit, use and publish artwork for any purpose, printed or electronic media and to publish the name of the winners without compensation. Selected artworks become a part of the Safe City Fort Worth/Safe City Commission Permanent Collection and will not be returned.
  • Prizes: Each school at the middle and high school level will have First Place ($75), Second Place ($50) and Third Place ($25) winners. Each school may also choose Honorable Mention award winners. Outstanding Second Place, Third Place and Honorable Mention award winners may be recognized with a Chairman’s Choice Award ($75) at the discretion of the Chairman of the Safe City Commission Board of Directors. Winners will be recognized at a community-wide event for community leaders, students, and their families.
  • Grand Prize: The First Place and Chairman’s Choice Award winners will be entered in the grand prize contest. Judges for the grand prize contest are appointed by the Chairman of the Safe City Commission Board of Directors. Two grand prize winners (one for high school and one for middle school) will receive a family trip for four to Disney world, including airfare, park entry fees, hotel accommodations and $1,000 spending money.
  • Instructions: On the front of each art board, students MUST print their name, address, phone number, grade, school title of the entry, and teacher. On the back, print the medium/media used and date. Don’t forget that each student needs to submit their own paragraph on-line explaining how their artwork depicts this year’s theme, “It’s not okay”.

About the Imagine No Violence Program

The Imagine No Violence Art Contest began in 2001 when Safe City Fort Worth launched a youth-focus, violence prevention campaign featuring “Imagine No Violence” as the theme. 1,200 high school students developed this theme as part of a comprehensive strategy for a youth-oriented crime prevention program.

Since 2002, over 150,000 Fort Worth students have participated in the Imagine No Violence Art Contest. In addition, multi-media campaigns coordinated with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have spread the message that violent crime will not be tolerated.

In 2009, Arlington Independent School District students participated in the Imagine No Violence Art Contest and this year Kennedale High School and Junior High School came onboard.

The 2011-2012 theme for the Safe City Commission Imagine No Violence Art Contest is “It’s not okay”, which focuses on bullying, cyber bullying, sexting, dating violence, family violence, gang activity, sexual harassment, or suicide. These entries may include, but are not limited to, images of friends helping friends If students have a friend who may be dealing with one of these issues, they may reach out to the Campus Crime Stoppers “Friends for Life” Hotline and get them help. Through Crime Stoppers, the information they provide remains anonymous and confidential. Students can make a difference by helping each other.

Numerous venues are used to display students work. Murals, T-shirt designs, city buses, kites, art books, and greeting cards are examples of ways the students’ art is displayed. Yearly citywide functions recognize winners and their families, along with a grand prize trip to Disney World for a family of four for middle and high school students.