Pier 1 Imports®/UNICEF Greeting Card Contest

A beloved annual tradition, the Pier 1 Imports/UNICEF Greeting Card contest inspires kids in the United States to use their creative talents in a meaningful way. Children ages 14 and under are invited to submit their original artwork for an official UNICEF Holiday greeting card by November 21, 2012.

The winning design will be selected by a panel of judges on the basis of artistic quality and creative interpretation of the year’s theme “A Holiday of Hope and Joy.” The winning design will be reproduced for the 2013 holiday season and sold at Pier 1 Imports stores in the U.S and at pier1.com. The contest also selects 10 designs that are voted on by members of the public at www.pier1.com for a Fan's Choice Award.

Winners of the contest will be announced in January 2013. The grand prize winner will receive a $5,000 scholarship, and their school will receive $500 worth of art supplies.

Please click here to download the contest entry form.

Pier 1 Imports

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale of all UNICEF cards sold at U.S. Pier 1 Imports stores will go to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to support UNICEF programs that save and improve children’s lives, providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more.

Pier 1 Imports began selling UNICEF greeting cards in 1985. During its successful 27-year partnership, Pier 1 Imports has raised more than $30 million for UNICEF. In 1992, the Pier 1 Imports/UNICEF Greeting Card Contest was created as a way to help raise awareness among U.S. school children about UNICEF’s work for kids around the world. Last fall, Pier 1 Imports/UNICEF received thousands of entries from kids around the country who submitted their drawings for the annual contest.

Last Year’s Contest Winners

Kristen Fontana, from Staten Island, New York, was the winner of the Grand Prize Award for her interpretation of last year’s theme "Peace on Earth." Kristen’s artwork has been reproduced as an official UNICEF greeting card and is selling exclusively at Pier 1 Imports stores in the U.S. and at pier1.com across the country during the 2012 holiday season. Along with the honor of having her artwork turned into a UNICEF greeting card, Kristen also received a $5,000 scholarship and $500 worth of art supplies for her school. Kristen’s holiday card features children from countries throughout the world holding hands around a tree. "The reason I drew the children around the tree was to show that children from all different backgrounds can come together and create peace during the wonderful season of Christmas," wrote Kristen.

Visitors to the Pier 1 Imports website were also given the opportunity to vote for their favorite design out of 10 semi-finalists. Mitali Mathur of Dallas, Texas was the winner of last year’s “Fan’s Choice Award.” As the inspiration for her artwork, Mitali shared: “The design I created for 'Peace on Earth' is a dove with 196 flags inside of it. A dove is a worldwide symbol of peace, and instead of drawing the world, I chose to depict it using the flags.” Mitali received $500 worth of art supplies.