Calling all young artist friends! It’s time again for us to look for a new shirt design for Rainbow Ball Weekend, our biggest event of the year. This is your chance to have your original artwork printed on 150+ shirts for queer and allied youth and adults across the state of Maine.

Guidelines:

• Please note that we cannot print designs in full color. Submissions must be monotone (one color only; black/white on a transparent background).
• Try to keep it simple! More complex designs may not translate well onto a shirt.
• No use of AI is allowed. If your design is made with AI, it will be automatically disqualified.
• Stay age-appropriate and relevant. Rainbow Ball Weekend is an event for teens aged 14-18.

Don’t know what Rainbow Ball Weekend is? Learn more about the annual retreat to give you ideas for your design! We are looking for artwork that conveys inclusivity, community building, and positivity for Maine’s queer and trans youth. Also, new for this year’s retreat, the prom will be Renaissance Faire themed! A shirt design that portrays all of these ideas is more likely to be chosen for printing.

HOW TO SUBMIT ARTWORK:

 

Artists under 18 years of age need to submit their artwork using this form. Please note that you will need a parent/guardian’s permission for OUT Maine to reprint your work.

 

18+ artists need to submit through this form. You must be under 23 years old to participate in this contest.

Please submit your artwork by no later than April 5th, 2026. Winner will be announced the following week.

For any questions, please contact our Communications Coordinator Ellie Roy (ellie@outmaine.org). We can’t wait to see your work!

Register to attend Rainbow Ball Weekend 2026 to see your shirt design in action!