40th Annual Waldman Arts & Writing Competition
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How does it work?
We are continuing the three-round format, in which you – the teachers and students – have the opportunity to be recognized in our three rounds of judging! Each school has one “sponsor” who oversees the school’s first round competition, submits the school’s finalists, and communicates with the Holocaust Center. Any time between now and December 20, sponsors sign their school up to participate for free. A public-facing list is made available to show which schools are participating. Participation is limited to schools located in Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and West Virginia.
For complete next steps, rules, and instructions, visit our hubs for students and teachers!
This Year’s Theme
Established in 1980, the Holocaust Center was created as a living memorial to honor Holocaust survivors who came to Pittsburgh to rebuild their lives. Rather than build a statue or monument, local survivors and their children built an organization that would be a home for them—to talk about their stories and experiences, to gather in community, and to invite the rest of the Jewish community and all of Pittsburgh to gather together for commemorations like Yom HaShoah, Kristallnacht, and International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In an act of resilience against antisemitism, they undertook a mission to create a comprehensive resource center that would help people learn about the Holocaust and counter intolerance and hate in all its forms.
It was local survivors themselves that inspired Hal and Diane Waldman to start the Arts and Writing Competition in 1984. Now, for its 40th year, we are celebrating this history with the theme “Local Legacies: Holocaust Survivors of the Pittsburgh Region.”
This theme grants students the opportunity to commemorate, honor, and connect with survivors who settled in our own communities after surviving unspeakable hardship. With the loss of so many survivors in recent years, it’s more important than ever to keep the memories of survivors alive.
Awards and Prizes
Key Dates
September 23, 2024: Teachers at schools in Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and West Virginia can begin registering as “Teacher Sponsors” by using the Google Form found here.
December 1, 2024: Sponsors can begin submitting the art and writing pieces of their school’s student winners for consideration in Round 2. Writing and digital art pieces must be submitted using the personalized Google Drive folder provided by the Holocaust Center after registering as a teacher sponsor. Physical art pieces (paintings, 3-D art, etc.) must be delivered to the Holocaust Center. The Holocaust Center will provide a delivery address to the Sponsor.
December 20, 2024: Final day to sign up as a Teacher Sponsor.
February 13, 2025: Final day for sponsors to submit their school’s finalists for Round 2 consideration. Submissions must be submitted by 5:30 pm.
February-March, 2025: Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh judging period.
April 2025: Up to seven Round 2 winners (including one Grand Prize winner) of the 2024-2025 Waldman Arts and Writing Competition will be announced as part of the Holocaust Center’s Genocide Awareness Month programming.
May 14, 2025: Awards Ceremony