Arts Quincy Partners with Chamber for Dogwood Royalty Contest

Arts Quincy, America’s First Arts Council, is pleased to announce it has partnered with Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce to organize this year’s Dogwood Royalty Event. This year’s theme is May the Fourth Be with You: The Power of Community and ties into the “Dogwood Royalty Contest.”
 
Arts Quincy will crown a Little King and Queen (ages 7-10 years old) and a Prince and Princess (ages 4-6 years old). Winners will ride with Arts Quincy in the Chamber’s Dogwood Parade on Saturday, May 4. 

​This year’s Dogwood Parade is Star Wars inspired: “May the Fourth: The Power of Community.” To enter to become Dogwood Royalty, contestants will submit a short video explaining what the power of community means to them that also incorporates the Star Wars theme. Videos will need to be uploaded to Arts Quincy’s website by the April 10th deadline for consideration.
 
Each child will be scored by a panel of five judges in three areas: 1. Passion: The child’s content and thoughts about what makes a community. 2. Poise: Stage presence and clearly stating an idea. 3. Personality: Having fun with the theme and being enthusiastic about what makes Quincy a great place to live.
 
The Quincy Town Center had previously been organizing a traditional pageant to crown a Little King and Queen, but stepped away from that role this year, which created space to reimagine how to include more kids.
 
“We are excited to be organizing this contest. It’s a bit different from a pageant format, but this new twist that makes it easy for today’s busy families to participate and opens the contest up to a larger group of kids. It’s such a great opportunity for children to share their thoughts about the meaning of community and to have some fun with the Star Wars “May the Fourth” theme that the Chamber has chosen,” says Laura Sievert, Arts Quincy Executive Director. “We’re looking forward to seeing all the video submissions!”
 
Arts Quincy is America’s First Arts Council and has made community a centerpiece of its work since 1947. Visual art, music, theater and humanities create a vibrant cultural community. They also provide employment, attract tourists, compliment businesses, enhance property values, expand the tax base, attract well-educated employees, and contribute to a creative and innovative environment that is needed in today’s business world!
 
“Your arts council and your Chamber of Commerce work in tandem to promote community pride and culture. It was a natural fit for Arts Quincy to find a creative way to carry on this fine tradition with the Chamber,” Sievert says.
 
All families who enter the contest will be gifted a 1 Year Family Membership to Arts Quincy which includes a magazine subscription and holiday gift. Winners will receive a crown, a sash and an arts-themed prize pack.
 
To be eligible to compete, contestants must live inside Quincy city limits. Age requirements should be age as-of May 4, 2024. Videos should be under 60 seconds but no longer than 90 seconds and should address the child’s thoughts in relation to the theme in a creative way. Videos will be accepted until on April 10 at https://www.artsquincy.org/dogwood.  No late submissions will be allowed.
 
Businesses or individuals that would like to support the contest can become sponsors. They can call 217-222-3432 or email [email protected] to learn more.
 
To learn about programs and more, visit artsquincy.org. For more information, contact Arts Quincy through email at [email protected] or call 217-222-3432.