News release April 16, 2007
Grape Belt Images Contest Planned
The “I Love My Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Photo Contest” committee, l to r; Mary Ellen Wensel, David Momberger, Andy Dufresne, Kay Barlow and Kate Issler develop plans for contest.
Collecting images, past and present, from the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area is the goal of the 1st “I Love My Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Photo Contest” to be sponsored by the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association.
Andrew Dufresne, Executive Director of the Association, says the photo contest is one of the ways in which the area will participate in the statewide I Love New York Celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the New York State Heritage Area system. The area became the newest of the 19 Heritage Areas under the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation last December. It is the first area where the primary focus is on agriculture heritage and recognition of the oldest and largest Concord Grape Growing Region in the world.
“This should be a great way to collect and show off our beautiful area, its rich heritage, and life here today”, Dufresne notes, “most everyone has a camera today and can capture images that tell our area’s story. And they likely also have family picture albums with images from the past that should be shared. This is an event for local people to participate in, to share some of their favorite places and happenings, to help show off our communities. ”
“If you were to send someone who has never been to your community 10 pictures to show what it is like, what pictures would you like to send? I think that is one way to approach this photo contest and become motivated to participate”, Dufresne summarized.
The Association has organized a committee to finalize rules and procedures for the photo contest which will culminate with a show at Barlow’s Mill in Fredonia, August 24 and 25 to run concurrent with the Fredonia Farm Festival.
Dufresne said that the committee has drafted the framework for the photo contest and that it will include a number of categories: vineyard vistas, grape production and harvest, grape foods and beverages, nature, architecture, life today in the grape belt, and historical photos. There will be $400 in prize money awarded in separate categories of entrants: youth photographers, armature photographers, professional photographers, and historical photos.
All photos must have been taken within the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Corridor Area which for the contest is defined as the 22 towns, villages, and city along Lake Erie from Silver Creek, NY to Harborcreek, PA and including the towns of Chautauqua, Stockton, Arkwright, and Villenova and all the villages within those towns.
“We hope to receive photos from every community – they all have places and scenes that make them the community they are”, Dufresne emphasized. “The photos are not limited to grape related scenes, but to all aspects of culture and environment within the area. Taken all together, the photos can present a great visual display of the unique Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area.”
All photo entries will become the property of the Association which will have the full rights to their use. Entry forms and rules will be available soon and will be on the web site www.concordgrapebelt.org when finalized.
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