The arts – both visual and literary – have a unique power to tell stories in a way that traditional journalism can’t. Consider poverty: Is the real story of poverty fully told through statistic-based journalistic reports? The Beyond the Headlines Essay and Visual Works Contest gives Chippewa Valley residents a platform to describe what poverty looks like to them, in comparison to the way it is reported in the news. Contest entries can be submitted online or in person between Oct. 2 and 11. Each contest has two categories: Essays and visual art may be submitted in either the Student Category (seventh-12th grades) or in the Community Member category (open to all ages). Cash prizes ($100 for first place, $75 for second, and $50 for third) will be awarded awarded in each category. Winners will be announced and awarded on Oct. 25 during the Beyond the Headlines forum at the Pablo Center at the Confluence. Essays and visual works will be judged on how well the entrants depict what poverty looks like to them or what stories journalists should be reporting about poverty. Consider the theme of “Building Trust” related to whether you trust journalism and its coverage of poverty issues, and why this is important to the public. For full contest rules and instructions on how to submit entries, visit beyondtheheadlineswisconsin.org/eau-claire.

The contest is part of “Beyond the Headlines,” a statewide program of the Wisconsin Humanities Council, which aims to bring Wisconsinites together for discussions that explore journalism’s crucial role in enabling productive citizen engagement in American democracy. The project is funded in part by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in partnership with the Pulitzer Prizes.