Art contest elevates quail conservation in Arkansas

Dec. 22, 2021

Randy Zellers

Assistant Chief of Communications

LINCOLN — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has partnered with Historic Cane Hill to gain even more awareness for northern bobwhite conservation in Arkansas by creating a special art contest to determine the image to be placed on the next edition of the Arkansas Northern Bobwhite Conservation Stamp.

“We relied on AGFC artist Greta James for the inaugural stamp’s artwork and paid other professional artists for the following two stamps, but there was always the thought that an art contest similar to what is done for the federal duck stamp could add even more awareness to quail conservation in Arkansas,” Marcus Asher, the AGFC’s quail program coordinator, said. “Now that the stamp is established, we’re hoping the contest continues to raise awareness of our efforts and the need for additional conservation work for quail as well as turkey and other ground-nesting birds.”

Artists have until midnight Feb. 20, 2022, to submit original artwork to be considered for the stamp. Artists 12 and older are welcome to submit. The contest will have three judges to compare different aspects of the work submitted.

“We’ll have an expert on habitat, an expert on quail biology and a professional artist judge based on all components of the stamp,” Asher said. “The winner will be announced April 15, 2022, on-site at Historic Cane Hill.”

In addition to being displayed on the next iteration of the Arkansas Northern Bobwhite Conservation Stamp, the winner will receive a $2,500 cash prize.

“The artwork also will be on display at (Historic) Cane Hill at the same time as a special habitat exhibit from the Smithsonian in April, so it will be an experience the artist should treasure for years to come,” Asher said. 

The AGFC has used the funds from the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Stamp and Turkey Conservation Stamp to match many grants and work with partners, such as the National Wild Turkey Federation, to complete more than $1.6 million worth of habitat work in Arkansas. These voluntary stamps have supplied funding for everything from prescribed fire to mulching and timber thinningg of overgrown thickets to restore valuable habitat for ground-nesting birds and a variety of nongame species.

Visit www.historiccanehillar.org/quailstamp2022 for more information on the contest.