The Putnam County Museum is inviting artists and writers of all skill levels to participate in its first-ever Comic Strip Bonanza—a competition aimed at blending local history with creative storytelling.
According to Executive Director Rachel Lewis, the competition was inspired by a museum intern’s desire to engage new audiences. “We’re trying to branch out in terms of the kinds of outreach that we’re doing,” Lewis said. “This is an invitation for people to be creative and try something new in a welcoming space.”
Participants are asked to create an original comic strip of one to four panels based on one of three prompts: “The Founding of Putnam County,” “Hoosier Everyday Life,” or “New school VS Old school.” Lewis emphasized that artists can interpret the themes seriously or humorously.
“For the ‘Founding’ prompt, it could be about the actual historical founding, or it could take a bit of a humorous spin,” Lewis said. The “New school VS Old school” category is designed to encourage conversations about modern technology, including AI, though the final artwork cannot be AI-generated.
Submissions can be digital or hand-drawn, in color or black and white. Entrants must email a high-quality photo or JPEG of their comic to kfinchum@putnamcountymuseum.org by Nov. 12. The email must specify which prompt the comic addresses.
All entries must adhere to family-friendly content guidelines. The rules prohibit curse words, sexual innuendo, violence, politics, and any AI-generated images or text.
The winning artist will receive a one-year membership to the museum and have their work published in the museum’s newsletter and, notably, in the Banner Graphic newspaper.
“We hope people get more comfortable sharing and being creative in unexpected ways,” Lewis said. “You don’t need to be good at something to try it out.”
The competition will be judged through a public vote. Submissions will be posted on the museum’s website and social media platforms, where the community can vote for their favorites. The top five entries will then be reviewed by a museum committee, including Lewis and intern Kyle Finchum, to select the final winner based on artistic skill, originality, and creativity.
Lewis encouraged potential participants who want to learn more about local history for their comics to visit the museum. “You can come on down and learn a little bit about the place that you're living in,” she said, “and then you'll have a good base to make your comic from.”Submissions start Oct. 1 & ends Nov. 12 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Participants can either be named, or remain anonymous. For more information, visit the Putnam County Museum website or contact the museum directly.
