Citizens looking for a fun way to get involved in the community, earn a little extra cash, and get a slight taste of stardom, have until Friday, May 29 to submit their photos for the 7^th Annual Valdosta People’s Choice Photo Contest.

The partnership between the City of Valdosta and the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, co-organizers of the Photo Contest, will be featured by the Georgia Municipal Association at their 2015 Annual Convention, in Savannah, as one of the many ways the partnership recognizes the importance of the arts as a quality of life, civic engagement and economic development tool in the community.

This year, several local organizations are sponsoring five unique photo contest categories and will provide the first-place monetary and gift prizes in the following categories, which are subject to photographer’s interpretation:

Colorful Camellias

Sponsored by the Valdosta Camellia & Garden Club *

Inspired by Nature

Sponsored by the Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) *

Patriotic Valdosta

Sponsored by the Woodmen of the World

Spirit of TitleTown U.S.A.

Sponsored by Georgia Power

Downtown Valdosta—Fun! Flair! Flavor!

Sponsored by Valdosta Main Street *

(*Citizens have had access to several public gardens for the Colorful Camellias category: The Roberts House, Sara Oliver Memorial Garden and the VSU Whitehead Camellia Trail—see city website for details. For the “Inspired by Nature” category, all entries must be taken at any VLPRA park or facility within the city limits. All entries for the Downtown Valdosta category must be taken within downtown’s 26-block district.)

Anyone may submit up to five entries (a maximum of one per category); however, all photographs must be taken within the Valdosta City limits. Entries must be mailed, postmarked or hand-delivered to the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, by May 29, 2015, where they will be displayed in the Center’s Tillman Gallery. A reception will be held at the arts center on June 15 to kick off the people’s choice voting, which will run through July 15.

Overall winners in each of the five categories, honorable mentions, and the overall Best of Show Awards will be announced by Valdosta Mayor John Gayle at the Awards Reception at the Turner Arts Center, on Monday, July 20, from 5 -7 p.m.  Monetary and gift prizes will be awarded to all category and Best in Show winners. The 2015 photo contest will also again feature a Best of Show for younger photographers ages 14 and under, as well as several honorable mentions.

The photographs will remain on display at the arts center for the public’s enjoyment through Saturday, July 25. Winning photos will then become part of a traveling display that may be viewed from August until December in various city locations.

No professional skills, special equipment or fees are required to enter. For more information, call the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts at (229) 247-2787 or the city’s Public Information Office at (229) 259-3548. Applications and contest rules may also be downloaded from www.valdostacity.com/publicinformation.