“TRASHED ART”: Artists gather with the winning 2025 TrashedArt Contest entries. This year’s exhibition will be displayed at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System in March and April. The library will accept artwork February 24 through March 3.
In March and April, art will be displayed for the 17th Annual TrashedArt Contest at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System (MCLS). Patrons will have a chance to vote for the “People’s Choice” awards in-person at each of the nine branches and virtually on the MCLS website. Winners will be announced at the TrashedArt Contest Reception at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch on Tuesday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m.
“The TrashedArt Contest celebrates Earth Day by encouraging our residents to turn ordinary trash into extraordinary art,” said Mercer County Executive Dan Benson. “I’m thrilled that Mercer County libraries can continue to host this contest, and I can’t wait to see what creative works our contestants produce.”
The contest is limited to one entry per artist. Classes or groups may participate only if they register ahead of time. Visit mcl.org/events/trashedart for details. The library will accept artwork no earlier than Tuesday, February 24 and no later than Tuesday, March 3. Adult and student patrons (ages 14 and up) who live, work, or go to school in Mercer County are eligible to participate.
Entries must be original artwork, no larger than 2.5’ by 2.5’ by 2.5,’ and no heavier than 10 pounds. Any art medium is acceptable, so long as a minimum of 75 percent recycled content is used. Some examples of recycled content include metals, paper, rubber, glass (but no sharp shards), plastic, and cloth. A recycled item is anything that has been manufactured and would have otherwise been thrown away. Non-recyclable materials such as glue, paint, tape, etc. are permitted. For the purposes of this contest, natural materials such as rocks, dirt, bones, and sticks are not considered recycled. The MCLS will not be held responsible for any damage, theft, or loss to art entries.
Contest entry forms are available at mcl.org/events/trashedart. All accepted art entries will be publicly displayed at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch. The Grand prize winners in first, second, and third place for adults and students will be awarded and announced at the TrashedArt Contest Reception at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch on Tuesday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m. Entries will be anonymously judged by local artists and representatives of the Mercer County Library System on creativity, originality, and artistic merit. Register online for the reception at mcl.org.
Photographs of the artwork will be displayed virtually on the Mercer County Library System’s website. Patrons can vote for the “Virtual People’s Choice” awards online at mcl.org, and view the virtual gallery on the MCLS’ social media channels and website. To view past virtual galleries, visit the MLCS’s YouTube channel (search for Virtual TrashedArt Reception Slideshow (2020), TrashedArt 2021 Virtual Contest Gallery, TrashedArt Contest 2022 Gallery, and TrashedArt Contest 2023 Video).
For more information about the library’s programs and events, visit mcl.org.