The City of Tuscaloosa is turning trash into treasure. On September 1, the Environmental Services Department announced its first Recycled Art Contest, a community‑wide competition that encourages residents to create original artwork from clean, discarded items such as cardboard, plastic, metal, glass and paper.
How the contest works
Participants may use any recycled, reused or repurposed material, but the primary components of each piece must come from those sources. The city will even provide up to five gallons of recycled glass mulch for artists who wish to incorporate it. The mulch can be picked up at the department’s facility at 3440 Reese Phifer Avenue, though entrants must bring their own containers.
Age divisions and entry details
There are two age divisions: 17 and younger, and 18 and older. All entries must be submitted through the city’s digital entry form by October 1. Entrants will upload photos of their finished artwork and include a brief description of the piece and the materials used.
Prizes and exhibition
Winners will be notified on October 2. Each winner receives two weekend passes to the 2026 Kentuck Festival of the Arts, a free T‑shirt coupon, and the opportunity to have their artwork displayed during the festival on October 17‑18. The contest not only rewards creativity but also highlights the importance of reducing landfill waste.
Community impact
Mayor Wes Moore praised the initiative, noting that “creative reuse is a practical way to teach stewardship while celebrating the talent of our citizens.” Local schools, churches, and neighborhood groups have already expressed interest in participating, seeing the contest as a chance to involve families in a constructive, faith‑affirming activity that aligns with traditional values of responsibility and resourcefulness.
The contest reflects Tuscaloosa’s broader commitment to environmental stewardship, a priority for the city’s public‑works and waste‑management teams. By providing a platform for artistic expression that also reduces waste, the city hopes to inspire long‑term habits of reuse and recycling among residents of all ages.
For more information, contest guidelines, and to download the entry form, visit the City of Tuscaloosa’s official website.
Original reporting: The Tuscaloosa Thread — read the source article.
