The Mercer County Library System will host the 17th Annual TrashedArt Contest in March and April 2026, inviting residents to transform discarded materials into original works of art in celebration of Earth Day.
Selected artwork will be displayed at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch throughout March and April. Patrons will be able to vote for People’s Choice awards both in person at each of the county’s nine library branches and online through the library system’s website.
The contest reception, during which winners will be announced, will take place Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch.
The TrashedArt Contest is open to adult and student artists ages 14 and older who live, work, or attend school in Mercer County. Each artist may submit one entry. Group or class submissions are permitted only with advance registration.
Artwork must be original, no larger than 2.5 feet by 2.5 feet by 2.5 feet, and weigh no more than 10 pounds. At least 75 percent of each piece must be made from recycled materials, defined as manufactured items that would otherwise be discarded. Acceptable materials include metals, paper, rubber, glass (without sharp edges), plastic, and cloth. Non-recyclable materials such as glue, paint, and tape may be used, but natural materials like rocks, dirt, bones, and sticks do not count toward recycled content.
Artwork will be accepted no earlier than Tuesday, February 24, 2026, and no later than Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Entry forms will be available online beginning in January 2026.
Submissions will be judged anonymously by local artists and library representatives based on creativity, originality, and artistic merit. In addition to juried awards, the public will be invited to vote for in-person and virtual People’s Choice awards.
Photographs of accepted artwork will also be displayed online, allowing patrons to participate in virtual voting and view the gallery through the Mercer County Library System’s website and social media channels.
More information, contest rules, and registration details are available at mcl.org/events/trashedart.
