Art Contest: “With Liberty and Justice for All”
“En Garde (Lady Justice)” by Tim Hayes, 2025
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026, the Greater Falls Community Justice Center will hold an open Art Contest about the meaning of justice, based on the profound closing phrase of our Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag: “With Liberty and Justice for All.”
There will be prizes for selected entrants, such as gift certificates to local businesses, bicycles from our Restorative Spokes bike shop, and a locally made GFCJC t-shirt. We will hold an event to honor the artists and have dialogue about the meaning of words that are so central to our identity as a people and nation. In February, we will hold one event in Bellows Falls and one in Springfield to honor the artists and to have dialogue about the meaning of these important words. We welcome all political points of view. We want to better understand each other, not to decide whose idea of justice is the best or only one.
For more information, review these Restorative Justice Questions for Reflecting on Art Projects. These are not questions for considering submissions, these are restorative dialogue questions for discussing what the art means to us, to be used when we get together to honor the artists and discuss what is important to each of us about justice.
Please send all submissions by Friday, January 9, 2026.
Contestants can enter any form of art—visual, verbal, etc.—expressing what justice means to them. Submissions need to be able to be manageably and briefly presented in person and can be carried up the stairs or via elevator at the library.
Original artwork of any kind can be submitted via this form. The form will accept the following file types:
Image (.png, .jpg, .tiff, .heic)
Document (.docx, .doc, .pdf, .txt)
Presentation (.pptx, .pdf)
Video (.mp4, .avi, .avchd, .flv)
Audio (.mp3, .wav, .aac, .mp4, .alac)
