About the Project
The United Way Drawing Contest is an opportunity for the Santa Cruz County community to come together and spread awareness for 211: a free, confidential, 24/7 help hotline for those in need of housing, food, transportation, utility assistance and more!
211 serves Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Capitola, and Scotts Valley, having received over 4,000 calls in 2025. Even though the number of calls seems high, many still don’t know about the hotline, causing it to be an underfunded service. Help us raise awareness for 211 so the Santa Cruz County community can access the assistance that they need, when they
need it.
For the Winner
The winner of the United Way Drawing Contest will have their art featured as the new 211 sticker that is distributed at United Way Santa Cruz County events for the rest of the year. Submit your own piece featuring the 211 numbers for a chance to have your art and name spread throughout Santa Cruz County!
Submissions will be reviewed by a panel at United Way Santa Cruz County, and will be selected based on creativity, originality, and suitability for sticker format. The winner will be notified via email by May 28, 2026.
Artists will be credited with:
- A post on social media that tags their social media/includes a photo of the artist ifthey wish.
- The sticker will also include the Artist’s social media tag or artist’s name.
Artists that submit must either by 18+ or have permission from a parent/guardian.
Artists can submit through this page online.
Submission Deadline: May 15th
Late submissions will not be accepted.
In order to submit, the art must follow these guidelines:
- Artwork must feature the 211 numbers
- Artwork must be original and created by the submitter
- No copyrighted characters (no Disney, anime, brand logos, etc.)
- No hate speech, explicit content, or discriminatory imagery
- Must be suitable for public distribution
- No use of stock art or assets you do not have full rights to use
We deserve the right to disqualify submissions that violate these standards.
In order to ensure high-quality sticker printing, submissions must be:
- Submitted in a PNG (preferred), JPG, or PDF
- Recommended size: 3x3 inches or bigger
- The shape should be square
- Transparent background preferred OR solid background is fine if that’s part of your design.
- Minimum Resolution: 300 DPI recommended. If you’re unsure, export your file in the highest quality setting available. (Tip: If your image looks blurry when zoomed in, it may print blurry)
- Maximum File Size: 10MB [whatever is typical for art files]
- Do not submit screenshots or compressed social media images.
- Artwork must be your final version (no rough drafts)
Submissions that do not meet these technical requirements may not be considered or
may have their art distorted if selected.
By submitting artwork to this contest, you agree to the following:
- You are the original creator of the submitted work.
- The artwork does not infringe upon any copyright, trademark, or intellectual property rights.
- You retain full ownership (copyright) of your artwork.
If your artwork is selected, you grant United Way Santa Cruz County a non-exclusive, royalty-free license, for promotional and distribution purposes, including:
- Printing the artwork as stickers.
- Distributing the stickers free of charge.
- Sharing the artwork on social media, websites, and promotional materials related to this project.
This license does not transfer ownership. You may continue to use, sell, or display your artwork elsewhere.
No monetary compensation will be provided.