17th annual Voices of the River: Art and Poetry Contest

Asheville -- April 5, 2024: Riverlink: We are accepting submissions for our 17th annual Voices of the River:

Art and Poetry Contest through April 19th! Explore your passion for the river and create 2D, 3D, or poetry about the French Broad. If you submit your art, you have a chance to win prizes from local businesses that support the French Broad River!

The theme of this year is: “What is your favorite memory from beside the river or in the water?”

Categories: 2D art, 3D art, and poetry

Students can submit their entries in person to the RiverLink office, at 170 Lyman Street, or with their class. Be sure to include your name and grade! Contest guidelines as well as the submission form can be found at our website on the link below. Thank you to everyone who has submitted already, and please enjoy some of our favorite submissions from past exhibitions.

River
By Lauren Tressler
My paddle pushes backwards, beautiful and blue
The magnet-like pull makes it harder to go through
A gorgeous shiny body explodes out of the ripple
Flying like a bird under the sky, speedy, but simple
Some time goes by, the birds, they fly
And abruptly my paddles clangs against something I could not see    
My boat was stuck, so I maneuvered around,
Then my paddles make another clanging sound
I reach my hand down to see what is going on.
It must be metal, I thought. Why is it here? It doesn’t belong!
With this here, the river cannot sing her beautiful song.
So I’m asking you, I’m asking you now
Take care of the river and it’s beautiful sound.

riverlink.org/work/voices-of-the-river