Epiphone Guitar Design Contest Application

Exciting Opportunity For Youth Artists To Customize Epiphone Guitars With Original Artwork!  Dogwood Arts is proud to announce the 2026 Epiphone Guitar Design Contest. The contest is open to all high school and middle school students living in East Tennessee. Several guitar designs created by youth artists will be selected for implementation and exhibition. The art guitars will be displayed at the Dogwood Arts Gallery in Knoxville, TN, and at Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort. The guitars will be auctioned to benefit Dogwood Arts’ youth art programs.

Winning designers will each receive $50 for art supplies and complimentary tickets to Dollywood; additional cash prizes will be awarded to select artists at the exhibition reception. 

• Students create a unique design on the guitar template attached to this form (also available online).
• Students give the template and application form back to their art educator/guardian
• Application Deadline: Art educators/guardians send the guitar designs and completed applications to Dogwood Arts by January 30, 2026.  
      - Physical applications can be mailed directly to:
             -Dogwood Arts
              ATTN: Raina Nief
             123 W. Jackson Avenue
              Knoxville, TN 37902
• Notification Date: Winning designs will be selected and notifications sent out by February 13, 2026
• Epiphone guitars will be delivered to art educators by the end of February
• The Art Guitars need to be completed and returned to Dogwood Arts by Friday, April 17th, 2026.
       - Dogwood Arts will coordinate retrieving guitars from art educators. Guitars can be dropped off at the Dogwood Arts Office at 123 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902
• Online Auction: will be live from May 1 - June 22, 2026
• Guitar Display: Guitars will be displayed in the Dogwood Arts Gallery (Knoxville), May 1 - May 30, 2025
       - An exhibition reception and awards ceremony will take place on Friday, May 2nd at the Dogwood Arts Gallery from 5-8 PM (Awards at 6 PM)
       - Select guitars will also be on display at Dollywood's HeartSong Resort June 2nd - 22nd, 2026
• Auction will conclude on June 22nd, 2026 

CONTEST REQUIREMENTS 

• Students must be in Middle or High School
• Students must live or attend school in the East Tennessee region. (within 50 miles of Dowtown Knoxville)
• Schools may establish a coordinator for this event, or a single art educator may apply on behalf of a student(s).
• Designs must be made on one of the provided guitar templates, also available at https://www.dogwoodarts.com/youth-art-programs
• Completed Application Form must be submitted with the guitar design
• Applications will not be accepted if the form is not signed by the student, parent, and/or educator.
• One guitar will be supplied to each winning designer*
  Keep in mind, the provided guitar may not be exactly the same shape as the provided template, so adjustments to the original design may have to be made
• The design can cover the entire guitar (including the back) except its pic guard, head, and any Epiphone logos.
• The guitar hardware is not to be altered, and the finished guitar must remain functional.