TrashedArt Contest

TrashedArt Contest

Remake, Reuse and Renew the items you would recycle or throw in the trash into something unique and beautiful and rethink the usefulness of garbage. The contest celebrates Earth Day by encouraging patrons to turn ordinary trash into extraordinary art. Held annually in April.

View the TrashedArt 2026 Gallery

Exhibition and Reception

Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s TrashedArt Contest! Entries will be on display at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch. All MCLS branches will also display photographs of this year’s entries, and patrons will have the chance to judge them for the People’s Choice Award.

Grand prize winners in first, second and third place, will be awarded and announced at the TrashedArt Contest Reception at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch on Tuesday, April 21st at 6:30 pm. Winners will have the opportunity to be featured on the MCLS “Behind the Books” podcast and featured on MCLS social media.

Register for the TrashedArt Reception

Pickup Information

TrashedArt entries must be picked up by 4:30 pm on Sunday, April 26. If prior arrangements have not been made, any unclaimed entries will become the property of the library. The Mercer County Library System is not responsible for any damage, theft, or loss to art entries.

Contest Guidelines

Adults and teens (ages 14 and up) who live, work or go to school in Mercer County are eligible to participate. The contest is limited to one entry per artist.

Entries must be original artwork and no larger than 2.5′ x 2.5′ x 2.5′ and no heavier than 10 lbs.

Entries must use a minimum of 75% recycled content — metals, paper, rubber, glass (please, no sharp shards), plastic, cloth. A recycled item is one that has been manufactured and would be otherwise 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.

Entries will be judged on creativity, originality and artistic merit. Artwork will be anonymously judged by local artists and representatives of the Mercer County Library System to determine grand prize winners in first, second and third place.

To view past virtual galleries, please see the following videos and blog posts:

Sponsored By

Friends of the Lawrence Library