Grand Case, St. Martin—People of all ages are invited to showcase St. Martin heritage, and their talent, in the 2015 Heritage Photo Contest, now officially open for entries. The Heritage Photo Contest and Exhibition was developed by the Les Fruits de Mer Association to give tourists and residents alike an opportunity to celebrate art created here on the island, and to engage residents—especially kids—in thinking about their heritage.
The theme of this year’s contest, “Neighborhoods,” was selected to inspire entrants to explore and focus on the places and people that mean the most to them, reflecting the broader heritage of the island by zooming in on the details that make each corner of the island unique. “Each year we look for a theme that gives the contest a different perspective on heritage and ties the entries together conceptually,” explained Les Fruits de Mer co-founder Mark Yokoyama. “At the same time, we want a theme that is open to interpretation, so the entries themselves show us what heritage is. Neighborhoods is a simple theme, but also rich with possibilities–we are excited to see how the contestants will interpret it creatively!”
Organizers designed the contest to include everyone, and to empower children and youth to enter with a special Under 18 award category and other initiatives. “We’d love this to be an opportunity for kids and teens to explore photography for the first time,” says Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes. “For young people who are already into photography, it creates a showcase for what they’re doing.” Teachers and leaders of student and youth groups who are interested in getting their kids involved are encouraged to contact info@lesfruitsdemer.org to learn more.
The contest is free and open to every age, and everyone is welcome to enter as many times as they like. People who want to enter should submit their entries to info@lesfruitsdemer.org by June 15, 2015. Each entry should include an original photo taken on St. Martin/St. Maarten by the person entering, the name of the neighborhood represented, a brief statement explaining why the photo was chosen, the entrant’s full name, and age and date of birth if under 18.
All qualifying entries will go on display in the online Heritage Gallery, and selected entries will be featured in the Heritage Photo Exhibition, which will be held this summer. Awards will be given for the winning entries in three categories: Adult, Under 18 and People’s Choice.
For more information about the Heritage Photo Contest and Exhibition, including the full rules and a sample entry, visit:
About Les Fruits de Mer
Les Fruits de Mer is a non-profit association based in St. Martin whose core mission is to raise awareness about nature, culture, and sport. The organization carries out this mission through publications, an education program, and special public outreach events that entertain, inspire, and inform. The association is currently accepting new member applications on its website, http://www.lesfruitsdemer.com.
