In continuation of our 125th anniversary celebration of Copshaholm, the Oliver Mansion, The History Museum is hosting a youth art competition this spring for ages 10-17. Submissions should take inspiration from the Oliver Mansion, the Historic Oliver Gardens, the Oliver Family, or the year 1897.
There are four categories: visual arts, music, written word, and theatrical. For each of the 4 categories, there will be a panel of judges, all with expertise in the category they are judging.
Registration can be made online by clicking here and is open until noon on Monday, April 17. Entries must be submitted by Friday, April 21. Judging will take place on Saturday, April 22, and winners will be announced on Monday, April 24. The top 3 winners in each of the 4 categories will win awards of $50, $25, and $10, respectively. This activity is made possible, in part, with support from the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, South Bend Cubs, South Bend Symphony Orchestra, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Federal Credit Union, and State Farm, Tim Grauel.
It was just over 125 years ago that J.D. and Anna Oliver and their four children moved into their new home at 808 West Washington Street in South Bend—Copshaholm, as they would later name it. In celebration of that anniversary, The History Museum is holding the Copshaholm 125 Youth Arts Competition. Youth ages 10-17 are invited to interpret the history of either 1) the Oliver family, 2) the Oliver Mansion, or 3) the year 1897 through a variety of art forms, including the visual arts, music, written word, and theatrical.
Youth ages 10-17 from St. Joseph County and surrounding communities are welcome to submit entries to the Copshaholm 125 Youth Arts Competition. There is no entry fee. Registration is now open and can be made online at historymuseumSB.org. The deadline for entries is noon on Monday, April 17. Entry forms must be completed in entirety, including first and last name, and the title of the work. Art must be submitted to The History Museum by Friday, April 21.
There are 4 categories for competition: the visual arts, music, written word, and theatrical. The submission must relate to either the Oliver family, the Oliver Mansion, or the year 1897. Information about each of the 3 areas can be found online at historymuseumSB.org
The foundation of the Copshaholm 125 Youth Arts Competition is the 38-room mansion in which the Oliver family lived from 1897 to 1972. J.D. Oliver was president of the Oliver Chilled Plow Works, a company established by his father, James Oliver. Key industrialists in the community, the Midwest, and the country, J. D. and James also were leaders in the area, providing funding for the Oliver Hotel and Oliver Opera House, among other structures.
Once they have completed their registration, youth may request 2 free admission passes so that they can tour the museum and Copshaholm to learn more about the family and house in which they lived.
For each of the 4 categories, there will be a panel of 3 judges, all with expertise in the category they are judging. Judging will take place on Saturday, April 22. The visual arts and written word entries will be shown on easel or however is appropriate. The music and theatrical submissions will be performed in the museum’s auditorium. Winners will be announced on Monday, April 24.
The top 3 winners in each of the 4 categories will win awards of $50, $25, and $10, respectively.
By submitting the registration form, the artist grants The History Museum permission to photograph or record their work.
In all submissions, references to the family must be factually correct. Disqualification may occur if Oliver family names are misspelled or dates are incorrect.
Entries may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. The size is restricted to 72 x 90 inches with a weight limit not to exceed 80 pounds. All entries must be original. All entries must be display-ready.
Entries include vocal, instrumental, and dance. A group performance may not exceed 5 artists. The performance length may be no more than 5 minutes.
Entries may include poetry or short stories not to exceed 5,000 words. All entries must be original and be typed.
Entries may be no more than 5 minutes. A 1- or 2-person performance is permissible. Scenes may be original, or actors may use scenes provided by The History Museum.
The History Museum is not responsible for lost or damaged entries submitted.
The History Museum has a significant presence in the Midwest as a nationally accredited, well-respected museum campus. At its center is a 40,000 square foot history museum. The campus also comprises three historic houses, including the exquisite 38-room Oliver Mansion once home to the J.D. Oliver family. All furnishings are original to the home, providing an impressive glimpse of how the family lived. It was 125 years ago that the Olivers moved into their new home at 808 West Washington Street—Copshaholm, as they would later call it. The fragrant gardens surrounding Copshaholm provide a lush backdrop to the 38-room Victorian mansion. Nearby is the Worker’s Home, a cottage reflecting 1930s life. Compelling exhibits in the museum’s seven galleries offer visitors extraordinary experiences in history. Photographs and uniforms of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, immortalized in the film A League of Their Own, return visitors to a time when women played professional baseball for the first time. Exhibits about the area’s French exploration in the late 1600s, pioneers of the early 1800s, the Underground Railroad, and more are found in Voyages Gallery. Young ones will be thrilled with Kidsfirst, a hands-on area that engages children in imaginative, interactive experiences connecting past and present. Established in 1867, The History Museum educates and enlightens the public through its collection of a half-million artifacts, guided tours, exhibits, public programs, and research archives.
