CURTIS — The Erickson Center For The Arts, Curtis, has announced its 2018 Photography Contest.

Four cash prizes will be awarded to the best photographers in two categories — Critic’s Choice and People’s Choice. A panel of judges will select first (35 percent payout of entry fees received), second (20 percent payout of entry fees received), and third place (15 percent payout of entry fees received) winners to receive the Critic’s Choice awards, and attendees at Music in the park Encore!, on Saturday, Sept. 1, will vote for the winner of the People’s Choice award (20 percent payout of entry fees received).

Contest rules: the photo must be taken in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan within the last 12 months. Resubmissions are not permitted. Photos must be 8 x 10-inches in size, and must not be matted or framed. The photo paper, including the border, must not exceed 8.5 x 11-inches. Borders around the photos must be white.

Send $5 entry fee along with a separate sheet of paper with name, address, email and telephone number clearly printed to: Erickson Center for the Arts (ECA), Attn: Photo Contest, P.O. Box 255, Curtis, MI 49820; or hand deliver to the Erickson Center for the Arts Administrative Office located at N9224 Saw-Wa-Quato Street in Curtis during office hours. Checks made payable to: Erickson Center for the Arts.

Photos may be “cropped” but should be submitted “as taken” without computer changes or modifications. Any photos submitted that are in violation of the contest rules will be disqualified. The entry fee will be forfeited.

There is no age limit for this contest. Entries must be received by Friday, Aug. 20.

People may enter as many times as they like. Each entry must include the $5 entry fee and a separate sheet of paper with name, address, and phone number clearly printed. Participants must also include the location of where in the Upper Peninsula, the photo was taken.

No identifying information (name, etc.) may be on photos. All photos will become the property of The Erickson Center for the Arts and will be displayed after contest completion.

Winners will be announced at Music in the Park Encore on Sept. 1. Entrants need not be present to win.

Professional photographers are not eligible to enter.

Judging will be based on category relevance and following contest rules including size, exposure, color effectiveness, creativity, uniqueness, artistry, focus effects, composition, originality and wow factor. In the event of a tie for the People’s Choice award, the cash prize will be split equally among the tied entries.

Questions can be directed to the Erickson Center for the Arts office at 906-586-9974.