The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA) announced Friday the theme for this year’s Visual Arts and Songwriting Contest – “Louisiana’s Culinary Heritage,” resurrecting the widely popular theme from the foundation’s 2013 Arts Contest and expanding submission opportunities with its third annual Songwriting Contest (in partnership with the Trombone Shorty Foundation).
Louisiana high school juniors and seniors are invited to create a work of art or song representing our state’s unique culinary heritage, honoring its festivals, dishes, and local ingredients. The 2022 contest winners will share $25,000 in college scholarships and have their artwork and/or song lyrics featured in GRFA’s second cookbook, The Pot & the Palette Cookbook II.
Visual art and song submission applications are now open at www.rodriguefoundation.org. The deadline for entry submission is Friday, January 28, 2022.
The Pot & the Palette Cookbook II (based on the original 2013 The Pot & the Palette Cookbook) will feature recipes from Louisiana chefs, musicians, and local celebrities alongside illustrations and song lyrics from this year’s Arts and Songwriting Contest winners. The cookbook will debut in Fall 2022.
“We’re thrilled to bring back ‘Louisiana’s Culinary Heritage’ as this year’s theme and see student’s creative takes – both in art and song— on what makes the flavors of Louisiana so unique,” said Jacques Rodrigue, Executive Director of GRFA. “The Pot & the Palette Cookbook is a wonderful representation of Louisiana art and cuisine, and we’re excited to expand the collection with our second cookbook and showcase new artwork, songs and amazing Louisiana recipes!”
For artist George Rodrigue, the culinary heritage of Louisiana was a recurring theme throughout his career. He painted portraits of chefs, both well-known and obscure, and documented unique Cajun culinary traditions such as the Aioli Dinner (1971) and The Great Cajun Omelet (1984). He also owned several beloved restaurants throughout his life and produced several successful cookbooks including award-winning The Pot & the Palette Cookbook in 2013, which features art from winners of GRFA’s 2013 Annual Scholarship Art Contest.
VISUAL ARTS COMPETITION:
All high school juniors and seniors in the state of Louisiana are eligible to apply. Contest judges will select 10 finalists to share $19,000 in college scholarships. Following the Scholarship Awards Luncheon (date TBD), the winning entries will be featured in The Pot & the Palette Cookbook II (on stands Fall 2022).
Individual artwork will be judged on the following three criteria:
1. Concept/Design: Does the artwork address the theme in a clear and inventive way? (1/3 score)
2. Technical Skill: Does the artwork show an understanding of visual art principles such as use of
color, shading, light, and form? (1/3 score)
3. Creativity: Does the artwork showcase an original point of view? Does it provide a fresh
perspective on the theme? (1/3 score)
SONGWRITING COMPETITION:
All high school juniors and seniors in the state of Louisiana are eligible to apply. A selection of three finalists will share $6,000 in college scholarships. Following the Scholarship Awards Luncheon (date TBD), finalists’ song lyrics will be showcased in The Pot & the Palette Cookbook II (on stands Fall 2022).
Song submissions will be judged on the following criteria:
1. Structure and Composition: Does the song have clearly identifiable sections (verse, chorus, etc.)?
Is the song between 2-5 minutes? Does the song have a clear theme and cohesive
structure? Does the music have an identifiable rhyme scheme or pattern? (1/3 score)
2. Melody: Does the song have continuity and coherence in melody, as well as tone and style?
Does the song offer something unique, different, and totally original? Does the music keep the
listener interested and engaged? (1/3 score)
3. Lyrics: Are the lyrics creative and original? Do they inspire an emotional or visceral reaction from
the listener? Do the music and lyrics fit together in a cohesive way? (1/3 score)
Louisiana is an international culinary melting pot and has reflected a cultural history of adventurous
cuisine for many centuries. Statewide, we boast excellent restaurants, festivals and food-focused events.
Uniquely, Louisiana yields seafood, wild game and produce, providing home cooks and chefs with a wide
variety of fresh local ingredients. These indigenous resources complement Louisiana’s cultural “gumbo”
of French, Spanish, African, Italian and German flavors, influencing the food we “live to eat.”
For more information on GRFA’s 2022 Art/Songwriting contest, please visit www.rodriguefoundation.org. Sign up for our mailing list to receive updates on The Pot & the Palette Cookbook II, pre-orders and more.
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