Toyota is Now Accepting Entries for its Dream Car Art Contest for Kids
Isabel Armiento
· 3 min read
What better way to get a glimpse into
the future of car design
than by asking the future car designers themselves? Toyota
is handing over the wheel to the next generation
of car owners (and designers) and inviting children to design the cars of their dreams for its 11th annual Toyota Dream Car USA Art Contest. This contest is a great way to get children’s creative gears turning. Youth aged 4-15 are welcome to enter, and submissions can be sent through the mail or online. The contest runs from November 1, 2021, through to January 31, 2022.
About the Toyota contest
The first annual Toyota Dream Car Art Contest was in 2004, and it was held in
Japan
. Since then, the contest has expanded across the globe, with 90 participating countries. Now, it is known as one of the largest global art contests for children. The United States hosted its first Toyota Dream Car Art Contest in 2012 and has continued to hold contests annually ever since.
Each country submits its top nine winners to Japan for the worldwide contest. More information can be found about the worldwide contest on the global
contest’s website
. How the contest works
Children will design their “dream car” using digital art tools—a new addition to the rules this year—or any traditional art tools, such as pens, pencils, pencil crayons, crayons, markers, and paints.
The entry must be accompanied by a filled-out form (children should ask for an adult’s assistance, if needed). More information on the official rules and guidelines, as well as entry forms, can be found on the U.S.-based
contest’s website
. The website describes the contest with a delightful series of car-themed puns, such as “get your kids’ creative engines started,” “unbuckle imaginations,” and “ kickstart the freewheeling designs of what your kids think cars should look like in the future.”
How Toyota judges the contest
The contest will be judged across three age groups: 4-7 years, 8-11 years, and 12-15 years. Submissions will be evaluated based on their execution, uniqueness, and artistry of concept, according to the contest website.
Three winners will be chosen in each of the three age categories, winning gold, silver, and bronze awards respectively, alongside cash prizes of $750, $500, and $250.
The
Petersen Automotive Museum
will also take part in the judging process, awarding one of the nine contest winners with its Petersen Prestige Award and putting the winning art on display. “Great ideas begin with a dream. We invite youth across the country to share their vision, creativity, and excitement for the future of mobility,” said Sean Suggs, group vice president of Toyota Social Innovation, according to
PR Newswire
. “We were so impressed with the array of social issues demonstrated by youth in last year’s contest, '' added Terry L. Karges, the executive director of the Petersen Automotive Museum. “[We] can hardly wait to see what new dream cars come to life this year.”
