FORT WALTON BEACH — Okaloosa County Transit is accepting entries through Friday for its Art on the Move contest for local art students.
The contest pairs public transportation and art while promoting local artists who will create murals that will – quite literally – move people across Okaloosa County.
“In large cities across the world, public transportation and art are frequently paired to enhance rider experience and spread art across communities,” OCT Transit Coordinator and Grants Manager Lani Birchett said. “We believe this is an amazing element of transit, and we want to encourage young artists at the same time.”
Participating in the contest provides many benefits to students at a time when schools are focused on standardized testing.
“With the focus on core subjects, it can be hard to find time to encourage creativity and to practice visual arts,” Mattie Kelly Arts Center Gallery Director K.C. Williams said. “However, studies have shown that fine arts education positively impacts test scores."
Williams said entering contests such as Art on the Move "is a great way to build the portfolios of our young artists. Displaying art on buses moving through Okaloosa County brings their work to a mass audience.”
The contest, open to all students in Okaloosa County, asks students to illustrate where they would like to go on OCT and to complete an official entry form.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Art on the Move contest will place student work on buses