Deck The Chairs’ goal to become involved in the community throughout the year is becoming closer to a reality after the nonprofit organization announced a new initiative called “Deck The Bins.”
In many ways, it will be similar to Deck The Chairs, which has gained local fame and recognition in recent years during the holidays, but the concept includes decorating the wooden trash bins seen around Jacksonville Beach rather than lifeguard chairs.
The idea to decorate the trash bins is by wrapping them with various artwork from local students, and those chosen will be decided as part of a student art contest that began on March 31 and will run through May 16.
The contest is open for students aged eight to 18 and at schools throughout the First Coast area. There will be 36 winners selected to be featured on the trash bins with each winning student awarded $100 as well.
This latest venture continues the connection that Deck The Chairs has made with local schools in recent years, as many students have been involved in helping design decorations for that and now the bins will present another opportunity to promote the importance of art as part of a school’s curriculum.
One of the most treasured aspects of the Deck The Bins initiative is that it will give students the chance to showcase their artwork in the public sphere like many of them have never had the opportunity to experience prior.
That exposure is something that cannot be matched, especially for a young artist still trying to discover their passion for art.
The Deck The Bins contest is made possible due to a collaboration with the City of Jacksonville Beach, Beaches Go Green and Waste Pro, as creating environmental awareness is also at the forefront of the program.
Fitting with the beach theme, the goal of the artwork is to have the environment and beach vibes in mind.
Each student is limited to enter just one piece of artwork, and all submissions must be submitted by emailing info@deckthechairs.org with the artwork in file formats of either a JPG or PDF attached.
All submissions must be completed by a parent or guardian 18 years or older with correct contact information included.
Just like Deck The Chairs, Deck The Bins will also be free for the public to view, as they will often be in front and center for anybody going to Jacksonville Beach.
As Deck The Chairs has become a marquee event on the calendar for families to come and see during the holiday season since it started in 2012, and organizers hope that Deck The Bins will have a similar impact for people during the summer months with the increase of beach goers both locally and visiting from out of town in the summer.
