*New dates / updated Dec. 27, 2023

Eligibility Requirements

There is no entry fee to submit an entry.

Competition is open to U.S. high school students (“Entrant”) in grades 9-12. Students must be entering 9-12 grades as of September 1, 2023.

Entry from student (“Entrant”) or parent/guardian (“Participant”) must be original, signed by the Entrant and if under 18, their parent/guardian “Participant” and completed with the time frame allotted.

Entry must be automotive in nature and follow guidelines set by the contest theme.

Submitted entry must fall within Fine Art Painting (watercolor, acrylic, and oil mediums.)

Entry style may vary (contemporary, realistic, impressionist, various.)

No digitally created artwork will be accepted.

No commercial copyrighted logos of any kind are allowed in artwork.

Artwork must not contain personally identifiable information of any person other than the Entrant or Participant. Should the Artwork include personally identifiable information of Entrant or Participant, Entrant or Participant acknowledges and agrees such information will be publicly disclosed, and Entrant and Participant are solely responsible for any consequences thereof on behalf of the Entrant.

Entry must not infringe any copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or other intellectual rights of any person or entity.

Artwork may not contain any material or elements that are not owned/created by Entrant or Participant and/or that are subject to the rights of any third parties.

Artwork may not contain content that is lewd, obscene, sexually explicit, pornographic, disparaging, defamatory, libelous, or otherwise containing inappropriate content or objectionable material as determined by the judge panel, in its sole and unfettered discretion.

Artwork cannot have been previously published, won previous awards, exhibited, or displayed publicly (i.e., disclosed beyond the Entrant’s or Participant’s immediate circle of friends and family) through any means.

Artwork submitted without a signed or completed Entry Form is ineligible.

HOW TO ENTER

Create the Artwork: Entrant creates an original drawing by hand using watercolor, acrylic or oil mediums in the tradition of fine art painting.

Design Themes: The Bill Neale Automotive Fine Art Award for High School Students showcases two persistent themes in his work:

Theme #1: Cars In Motion

Theme #2: Colorful Skies

Artwork should incorporate these two elements

Complete the Entry Form: Artwork, together with a completed “Entry Form,” is collectively called a “Submission.” Entrants or Participants should submit their entry online via the Submission form at: www.billnealeaward.org.

Send submission online: Submissions will be accepted by the Contest from September 21, 2023, through 11:59pm February 6, 2024 (“Contest Period”). To submit online, a digital photograph of the hand-drawn Artwork must be uploaded with the Entry Form (“Submission”) completed online at the contest website www..

Hand-Drawn Artwork: Artwork must be original and drawn entirely by hand using fine art mediums of watercolor, acrylic and oils. Artwork measurements should be between 15.7 X 21.7 inches (400mm X 55mm) and 8.5 X 11 inches. Paper color, material and shape can be chosen freely but should not be thicker than 5mm. Paper size 11X17 is recommended.

OTHER GUIDELINES:

Entries may be submitted as either a JPG, PNG or PDF.

Digital photo files should be between 1MB and 5MB in size.

Uploaded Artwork image files must be titled in the following way: [LAST NAME, FIRST NAME-Artwork Title].

Artwork must be accompanied by a written description of the Entrants Artwork.

All entries by minors (under the age of 18) must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.

Proof of U.S. High School eligibility status is required with a digital upload of a school ID, please contact us if unable to provide this type of ID verification.

JUDGING CRITERIA/PROCESS

All eligible Artwork received by Sponsor will be judged by a panel of qualified judges (“Judges’), as determined by Sponsors, based on the following criteria:

Artistry of Concept (Skill): 25%

Interpretation of Theme: 25%

Overall Artistic Impression: 25%

Uniqueness/Originality: 25%

WINNERS

1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will be named based on the entries with the top three highest calculated totals. The entry with the highest total will be deemed the potential winner, the 2nd and 3rd highest totals the 2nd and 3rd place potential winners. A winner is deemed potential until eligibility is verified.

Winner will be notified by February 27, 2024.

PRIZES

1st place winner: $1000 Cash Prize and travel accommodations to attend the Houston Mecum Auction in April 2024 for trophy presentation.*

2nd place winner: $500 Cash Prize

3rd place winner: $250 Cash Prize

*If Grand Prize Winner is unable to travel to receive the award in person, the trophy will be mailed. Parent or guardian must accompany minor under the age of 18.

*New dates / updated Dec. 27, 2023

ELIGIBILITY

The Contest is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia in grades 9-12 at the time of entering. Eligible entries of high school students (“Entrant”) under the age of 18 must be submitted by a parent or gaurdian (“Participant”).

CONTEST DATES

The Call for Entries begins September 21, 2023 immediately following the award announcement at Mecum Dallas 2023. Entries may be submitted through February 6, 2024, at 11:59pm.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

By participating in and submitting Artwork in the Bill Neale Automotive Fine Art Award for High School Students, (“Contest”), each student (“Entrant”) and parent/guardian if under 18 (“Participant”) agrees (on behalf of themselves and Entrant): (a) to abide by these Official Rules and decisions of Judges and The Shelby Foundation, Mecum Auctions, Terlingua Racing Team and the Texas Auto Writers Association (“Sponsors”), the Texas Auto Writers Association (“Host”) and TechForce Foundation (“Award Beneficiary”), which shall be final and binding in all respects relating to this Contest; (b) to release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless Sponsors, their parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, private distributors, dealers and their respective advertising and promotion agencies; and all of the above’s respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents and representatives of the forgoing (collectively, “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims, costs (including attorneys’ fees), fines, injuries (up to and including bodily injury and death), liability, losses and damages of any kind to persons, including death, or property resulting, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from (i) Entrant or Participants’ participation in the Contest or any Contest-related activity; (including travel to/from any Contest activity); (ii) the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any Prize (iii) the Released Parties’ violation of rights of publicity or privacy, claims of defamation or portrayal in a false light or based on any claim of infringement of intellectual property; and (iv) any typographical, human or other error in the printing, offering, selection, operation or announcement of any Contest activity and/or Prize; and (c) except where prohibited by law, to the use of Entrant’s and his/her Participant’s names, voices, performances, photographs/videos, images and/or likenesses for programming, advertising, publicity and promotional purposes in any and all media, now or hereafter known, worldwide, including, but not limited to, on the Internet, and in perpetuity by Host, Sponsors, Award Beneficiary and their designees, without compensation (unless prohibited by law) or additional consents from Entrant or any third party and without prior notice, approval or inspection, and to execute specific consent to such use if asked to do so. Entrant and Participant agrees not to release any publicity or other materials on their own or through someone else regarding their participation in the Contest without the prior consent of the Sponsors, which it may withhold in its sole discretion. In the event Sponsors are prevented from continuing with the Contest by any event beyond its control, including, but not limited to, fire, flood, epidemic, earthquake, explosion, labor dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, communications or equipment failure, utility or service interruptions, riot or civil disturbance, terrorist threat or activity, war (declared or undeclared), interference with the Contest by any party, or any federal, state, local or provincial government law, order, or regulation, order of any court or jurisdiction, or other cause not reasonably within Sponsors’ control (each a “Force Majeure'' event or occurrence), Sponsors shall have the right to modify, suspend or terminate the Contest or any Prize. Host and Sponsors additionally reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion: (a) to modify, suspend or terminate the Contest should causes beyond Host and Sponsors’ control corrupt or interfere with the administration, integrity, operation, security or proper play of the Contest; or (b) to disqualify any Entrant or Participant found to be, or suspected of: (i) tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest; (ii) acting in violation of these Official Rules; or (iii) acting in an un-sportsmanlike manner.

U.S. CONTEST PRIZES

Three prizes will be awarded pending winning Entrants’ confirmed eligibility. Limit one (1) First Place Prize, (1) Second Place Prize and (1) Third Place Prize. Prizes will be awarded to Entrant and, if under the age of 18, their Parent/Guardian on behalf of the Entrant. The winner with the highest Judge score will receive a $1000 cash prize along with an all-expenses paid trip for 2 to Mecum Houston 2024 for trophy presentation. A parent/guardian “Participant” must join any Entrant winner under the age of 18. The second highest Contest winner will receive a $500 cash prize. The third highest Contest winner will receive a $250 cash prize. The total value of the Cash Prizes that will be awarded is $1,750. The all-expenses paid trip value will vary depending on the winner’s location and any airfare needs.

Winners will be notified by February 27, 2024 pending confirmation of eligibility.

Teia Collier / Texas Auto Writers Association President

@tmbcollier@gmail.com

Amy M. Plemons / Texas Auto Writers Association Award Chair

@amplemons.tvproducer@gmail.com