Hindu Dharma through the Arts (HDA 2020):
An International Arts COVID-19 Benefit Competition
Hindu Students Council (HSC) is excited to host its very first Online Arts Showcase!
The Theme For This Year is:
STORYTELLING
Your artwork must tell either:
A story of how you have grappled with and embraced your identity as a Hindu.
A story from Hindu texts, oral traditions, itihasas, panchatantra, etc.
Showcase Categories:
1. Dance (any dance form is allowed)
2. Music (singing, instrumental, beatboxing, DJing, etc.)
3. Visual Arts (cartoon, drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.)
4. Photography/Film/Drama (theater, short film, animation, acting etc.)
5. Writing (poetry, stories, essays, etc.)
6. Vegetarian Cooking (recipe, cooking show, etc.)
You may submit in as many categories as you’d like with a maximum of 2 entries per category
Submission Deadline:
August 14 at 11:59 PM EST
Note: Entries will not be accepted without the registration fee.
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Prizes:
The finalists’ art will be posted to our website, and there will be prizes awarded in each category as well as a prize for the artwork that raises the most money.
*Donations will go to the Sewa USA COVID-19 Efforts: https://sewausa.org/COVID-19-Fundraiser*
Rules:
1) Theme: your artwork must tell a Hindu story (either your own or based on a Hindu text, as mentioned above). You can email [email protected] if you are unsure and would like to confirm that your proposed idea(s) fit the theme.
If your art does not tell a Hindu story – your artwork will be appreciated but not considered for any prizes. You can use any language – providing an English translation would be appreciated, but not required.
2) Originality: Your work must be original. You may reference other sources, but all references must be properly attributed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. If you are doing a dance, you can use a song that exists as long as your choreography is original. Participants are encouraged to have fun with props and costumes.
3) Timeframe: Your work must be created after July 1, 2020, and submitted before the deadline (11:59 PM EST on August 14, 2020). Reusing a past work of art is against the rules.
4) Safety: All your participants need not be present in the same location. They may record videos in different locations and stitch the videos together. Please follow safety guidelines provided by the CDC. Artwork that is not following such guidelines will be disqualified.
How to Participate
1) Fill out the Registration Form (below)
2) Pay Your Registration Fee ($10/15 per art entry)
3) After you register, HSC will send you a link to to submit your entries.
$10 for HSC Chapter Members
$15 for All Others (Non-HSC Members)
The registration fee can be sent via Venmo to @HinduStudentsCouncil or via PayPal.
(Note: If you are unable to pay for the full registration fee, you can provide an amount that is most comfortable to you. You are also welcome to donate more. The money you donate will go towards prize money & philanthropy)
Judging
A panel of judges will judge the artwork on the basis of the following criteria:
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Originality
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Creativity
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Ability to convey meaning
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Authenticity to the Hindu story
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Execution (This varies by category, “Is the work authentic or done well”)
Judges:
Dance:

Indu Mangrola

Sohini Sircar
Music:

Aks & Lakshmi
Visual Arts:

Ritu Kumar

Shubha Sridhar

Akshata
Photography/Film/Drama:

Uday Kalluri
Writing:

Neha Srivastava
Vegetarian Cooking

Shobha Swamy
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This is an international benefit competition, so anyone located anywhere can participate.
There is no age restriction, all ages are welcome to apply!
Winners may be distinctly awarded prizes by age groups, depending on the number/diversity of submissions.
No! Anyone can apply as long as your art meets the listed requirements.
Entries can be either as a solo or group participants (as long as recommended public health measures are followed)
The money you donate to this cause through the registration fee will be used to fund the prizes and a portion will also go to the Sewa International COVID-19 Fundraiser.