FAIRMONT- The Red Rock Center will hold two new community contests to accompany its annual Memorial Day Community Picnic. The first will be a broad art contest for individuals age 10 and older while the other will be a coloring contest for children ages 2 to 10.

Both coloring sheets and artwork will be displayed at the Red Rock’s Memorial Day Picnic and in its exhibition space through the end of June.

Red Rock Center for the Art’s Executive Director Sonja Fortune said the goal of the contests is to stimulate interest in the meaning of memorial day and in community art.

“The big objective for the coloring contest is for these kids to understand that Memorial Day is more than just picnics and the beginning of summer; it’s to remember our fallen heroes and those who have served and continue to serve our county,” said Fortune.

The Red Rock also sees the contest as a way to connect its popular picnic to the remainder of its arts programming.

“We have roughly between 200 and 300 people come through for the picnic and a lot of those people have never been here in the past,” said Fortune.

Outside of the regular community art and high school exhibits the contest is another way for amateur artists or enthusiasts to share their work with members of the community, and another way for the Red Rock to showcase the work of local community members.

In regards to the contest for older participants the Red Rock has placed no constraints on the size or medium of submissions.

“It can be crafty, it can be drawings, paintings, a wide variety of things,” said Fortune.

The one constraint is the artworks have to be in some way related to Memorial Day.

The contest was designed to be as approachable as possible.

“We’re really okay with a 12 year old sitting down and drawing out a picture of what Memorial Day means to them,” said Fortune.

The winners of the coloring contest will be randomly selected from three different age groups and will receive a gift basket. The other contest will be judged by the Red Rock’s board members on creativity, originality and use of materials. Finalists are eligible for cash prizes which are dependent on the number of submissions. This will be the first community art contest the Red Rock has held and may hold similar events in the future if this one proves to be successful.

Coloring sheets can be picked up at the Red Rock Center or downloaded from its website. The deadline to drop off sheets is May 24 while submissions to the art contest can be dropped off between 10 and 4 p.m. on May 25, or earlier by appointment.