Olympiad of the Arts : Fact Sheet
Click the links below to find answers to frequently asked questions about the Olympiad of the Arts.
What is the Olympiad of the Arts?
Who participates in the Olympiad?
When and Where are the Olympiad competitions held?
What does it cost to enter the Olympiad?
What awards are given?
How do I enter the Olympiad?
How do I get guidelines and entry forms?
Who judges the Olympiad competitions?
Who are the Olympiad coordinators?
When and by whom was the Olympiad founded?
What organization manages the Olympiad?
How do I contact the Olympiad Office?
What is the Olympiad of the Arts?
The Olympiad is a multidisciplinary competition of creative arts for high school and lower division college and university students in Santa Clara County. Each spring student artists participate in visual art, photography, and creative writing competitions. Winning entries are displayed on the website. Monetary prizes are given in each category.
The Olympiad’s mission is to encourage, promote and reward excellence in the arts and to provide schools a showcase for their talented student artists and outstanding arts programs.
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Who participates in the Olympiad?
The Olympiad is open to all high school and lower division college and university students in Santa Clara County. See the guidelines for specifics.
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When and Where are the Olympiad competitions held?
The Olympiad competitions begin in late February. The high school visual art and the photography, exhibits and receptions are held at the West Valley College Art Gallery. The college visual art competition and exhibit will be off-campus. Creative writing entries are submitted by mail to the Olympiad Office.
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What does it cost to enter the Olympiad?
Fees are $5 per entry for art, photography, and creative writing . The guidelines of each competition enumerate the fees and specifics for entering.
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What awards are given?
Monetary awards totaling $9,500 are available. Awards are given for First Place through Honorable Mention and range from $300 to $50. In some categories there is a “Best of Show” or special “Award of Excellence” as decided by the judges.
Additionally, each award winner receives a certificate of commendation.
See the competition guidelines for awards in specific categories.
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How do I enter the Olympiad?
Each competition has guidelines and entry forms. Creative writing entries and fees must be mailed to the Olympiad Office by the stated deadline. High school visual art and photography entries are brought directly to the Art Gallery at West Valley College on the specified dates. Guidelines with dates and location for the college visual art competition will be posted on the website.
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How do I get guidelines and entry forms?
Guidelines and entry forms are mailed to all schools and college arts departments. Additional entry forms for the visual arts and photography competitions will be mailed upon request by calling 741-2066 or email to: wendie_weisman@wvm.edu.
All guidelines and entry forms are downloadable from the Olympiad website.
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Who judges the Olympiad competitions?
Each competition category is judged by professionals in that discipline from the community. For example, photography entries are judged by professional photographers. Most of the judges volunteer their time. No West Valley or Mission College staff act as adjudicators for any competition that includes college students.
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Who are the Olympiad coordinators?
West Valley and Mission College arts instructors act as the competition coordinators. They organize the exhibits, and arrange for the judges. They are under the direction of the Olympiad Director.
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When and by whom was the Olympiad founded?
Senator James Phelan of Montalvo, who envisioned the Santa Clara Valley as the “Athens of the West” initiated the Olympiad of the Arts in 1928. Early Olympiads and awards ceremonies were held at Villa Montalvo.
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What organization manages the Olympiad?
In 1978 the responsibility of the contests and small donated endowments were transferred to the West Valley/Mission Colleges Foundation, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charity associated with West Valley Mission Community College District. The Olympiad is managed by a committee of volunteers from the arts faculty and community, and one paid part-time Director..
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How do I contact the Olympiad Office?
Call Wendie Weisman, Olympiad Director, at (408) 741-2066 or email: wendie_weisman@wvmccd.cc.ca.us
Mail can be sent to:
Olympiad of the Arts
14000 Fruitvale Avenue
Saratoga, CA 95070
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