(Washington, D.C.) – Friends of the American Latino Museum (FRIENDS) launched its 9th annual design contest this morning to showcase the work of Latino and Latina artists across the country. Presented with the generous support of Target and AARP, the annual digital contest celebrates the Latino community’s rich heritage and talent, inviting artists to share their vision of what American Latino history means to them. Submissions will be accepted until April 24 on the FRIENDS website. 

The entire contest will take place online, from submission to voting. Finalists will be chosen by the FRIENDS Board following the submission deadline, and the public will be invited to select from the top five designs throughout the final week of April. Supporters will cast a vote for their favorite design on the FRIENDS website, with the winning design and artist announced during the FRIENDS annual Cinco de Mayo event in Washington, D.C. 

“As our nation navigates this unprecedented health crisis and practices social distancing to help keep everyone healthy, this contest provides a safe, positive respite to celebrate the history and culture of Latinos in the United States,” said Estuardo Rodriguez, President and CEO of FRIENDS. “We have received hundreds of thoughtful, creative, and beautiful designs from artists over the years sharing the stories at the root of the founding of our country. Through this annual contest we want to provide our supporters an opportunity to demonstrate their passion for our shared history and this endeavor.”

“The design contest invites artists from around the country to mark the enduring legacy of the American Latino community,” said Edna Kane Williams, Senior Vice President of Multicultural Leadership at AARP. “By bringing together multicultural, multigenerational supporters, this contest joins our history and our present in living color.”

The winner will receive a $500 Target gift card, and their design will be featured in the 2020 FRIENDS national campaign efforts to create a Smithsonian National American Latino Museum, including on campaign posters, promotional materials, and FRIENDS digital platforms reaching nearly 400,000 subscribers. Previous winners have included Latino painters, designers, and illustrators from coast to coast representing the campaign’s broad reach and the diversity of the American Latino community.