Participation
Who can participate in A Splash of Creativity?
Students, grades K-12, in a Cal Water service area are eligible to participate.
My home is in Cal Water but my school is not. Can I still participate?
Absolutely, yes. Students living in, or attending school in, a Cal Water service area are eligible to participate.
How do I find out if I'm in a Cal Water service area?
Please check your school or home address on the Cal Water service area map or Contact Us with your school information and we can verify your eligibility status.
The Artwork
What should the artwork be about?
All submissions are to focus on caring for water and on local California water issues. Please note, submissions that do not focus on caring for water or focus on clearly non-California water issues will be disqualified.
What types of art are accepted?
We are accepting art composed in traditional fine art mediums, such as pen and ink, painting, sketches, and other two-dimensional artwork.
May I submit 3-dimensional artwork, such as a sculpture?
Sculptures and other 3-dimensional artwork are not accepted at this time.
Are photographs accepted? Films, or video?
Not at this time. Submitted artwork cannot be photographic in nature, nor take place over time such as with film and animation.
How many persons can contribute to the artwork entry?
Only one. All artwork must be the original creation of the submitting student without the aid of any other individual in its creation.
How do you define caring for water?
Caring for water as defined for Splash of Creativity includes topics such as water conservation, the water cycle, and/or the watershed. Students may select one of these areas on their coversheet, or specify a different option if their topic does not readily fit into one of these categories.
What qualifies as a local water concern?
We are looking for submissions that address California water issues. This can be something specific to your community, but should be noted on your coversheet. Past submissions have addressed local droughts, water pollution, converting to native plants, household water conservation, etc.
The Statement
I don't understand the artist's statement. What do I need to discuss in my statement?
The statement should describe the work submitted. How did you create it? What message does it portray? How does the work reflect the theme of caring for water? How does it touch on a local California water issue? Anything else that you would like the judges to know about the work and its creation.
If you have any questions about the statement or require accommodations, please email us at calwaterchallenge@gmail.com.
How long should the statement be?
The statement should be at least a paragraph long but no more than 500 words.
My child is competing at the K-2 level. Do they still need an artist's statement?
Yes. However, artist's statements will be judged relevant to their age level (i.e., we are not expecting 500 word statements from K-2 students), but we would still love to hear in their words what their artwork means to them, and how they are thinking about water. For more, please see our past awardees on the Awardees page.
The Submission
How do I submit my entry?
Entries should be mailed to California Water Service along with a coversheet, which includes the artist's statement.
California Water Service
A Splash of Creativity
ATTN: Conservation Department
2632 West 237th Street
Torrance, CA 90505.
What is the submission deadline?
This year, there will be two submission deadlines. Submit by December 31, 2024 to have your artwork displayed in the Featured Artists gallery! Teachers, submit 5 or more entries from your students, and you will be entered in a drawing for a $75 gift card for art supplies!
The final deadline for submissions is February 28, 2025. A postmark of February 28, 2025 will also be accepted.