Why Can Nonresident Artists Enter CDFW Stamp Contests?

September 10, 2020

Question: I saw your recent notice about the announcement of next year’s Duck Stamp art. It’s a lovely painting, but I was surprised to see that the artist is from Indiana. Why isn’t it a requirement for the winners to be California residents? (Harris)

Answer: CDFW holds two annual stamp art contests – the California Duck Stamp Contest and the California Upland Game Bird Stamp Contest. Since we don’t always receive enough in-state entries to award three top place winners, both contests are open to participants nationwide in order to ensure a wide pool of entries. This year, for example, the Duck Stamp contest only received three entries from California. There is no cash prize for winning either contest and all proceeds generated from stamp sales go directly to waterfowl or upland game bird-related conservation projects in California, regardless of where the winning artist resides.

The last California artist to win a stamp contest was Roberta Baer of Redding. She won the 2016 Upland Game Bird Stamp Contest with her painting of California quail. She also won in 2015 with her painting of a ring-necked pheasant. Her paintings and other past Upland Game Stamp Contest winners, as well as contest rules and entry dates, can be viewed at wildlife.ca.gov/upland-game-bird-stamp. More information about the Duck Stamp Contest and a gallery of past winners can be found at wildlife.ca.gov/duck-stamp. The annual Upland Game Bird Stamp Contest typically opens in early September with entries accepted from November to December, while the Duck Stamp Contest is announced in early March with entries accepted throughout the month of May.

We encourage anyone interested in entering the contests to send in their artwork during the entry period. We would love to see more submissions, especially from California artists!

Three entries from California! Does that mean most artists aren't duck hunters or most duck hunters aren't artists?