Streets, Art, SAFE
Poster Competition
Learn, Create, Advocate
Competition Details and Resources
NEW Office Hours!
Have questions about the competition? Need help with registration, research steps, or your project? Drop in to our weekly Office Hours and get the support you need!
🗓 Wednesdays at 12:00-1:00 pm & 4:00-5:00 pm (PT)
⏳ Come and go as you like—ask questions, get guidance.
2025/26 Competition Schedule
Competition Schedule
August 2025
18 August - Webinar to launch the 2025/26 season!
18 August - Registration opens.
September 2025
11 September - Mentoring opens.
15 September - Webinar: The Streets, Art, SAFE Competition - The Rules and How to Win
23 September - Webinar: How to Make Award-Winning Public Service Announcements.
October 2025
18 October - San Diego AAA Dare to Prepare In-Person Workshop
16 October - Webinar: The Power of Posters: The Art of Visual Persuasion
25 October - Newport Beach AAA Dare to Prepare In-Person Workshop
November 2025
15 November - San Diego AAA Dare to Prepare In-Person Workshop
December 2025
1 December - Competition opens for final submissions.
15 December - Registration closes (Note: This is only the registration deadline. Final submissions are due in January.)
January 2026
17 January - Mentoring closes
23 January - Final submissions close
28 January - Judging begins
February 2026
20 February - Competition Nominees announced
20 February - Regional Award Winners announced
March 2026
21 March - Red carpet Streets, Art, SAFE Awards Ceremony at LA Center Studios
Competition Details
Students are tasked with:
Selecting a topic from a list of traffic safety and transportation topics.
Submitting their registration to the competition.
Researching their chosen topic.
Drawing several rough thumbnail sketches to start working out the poster design.
Doing a rough sketch of the poster design (with or without color.)
Producing the final poster - 12x18 size. If possible, do a version in both portrait and landscape. But if not, just send it in portrait.
All while making sure they are following the rules and guidelines of the competition
How Many poster PSAs Can Each School and/or Student Team Submit?
Each student team or individual has the option to submit up to 3 posters - 1 poster for each category as follows:
The poster made based on their chosen street safety/transportation topic. (Please note: if this topic also fits the special awards category, they will be automatically entered into that category as well.)
Encouragement Message Special Award Category
Pedestrian Safety Special Award Category.
Students can only submit their poster(s) as an individual or part of 1 student team, not compete in multiple teams. However, a school can submit as many posters as they want, based on the number of students/student teams.
Submitting Completed PSA Posters
Before the competition opens for final submissions, the logos and the final submission form will be sent to registered teachers and their student teams.
Competition Resources - Mentoring and Opportunities
Mentoring
Students can take advantage of mentoring from industry professionals on their poster rough sketches.
Student Educational Opportunities
We set up optional educational activities throughout the competition season, such as webinars, workshops, and excursions. We call these Student Opportunities.
Awards Categories and Judging Criteria
Awards Categories
There are several categories in which a poster can win an award. Students should know what they are so they know what awards they are eligible for or, in the case of Special Awards Categories, which they want to register for specifically.
Special Awards Categories
The poster competition includes Special Awards Categories - with their own cash prizes:
Any school or student team is eligible to submit for this award. This means that student teams can have up to 3 posters submitted if they want:
The poster made based on their chosen street safety/transportation topic. (Please note: if this topic also fits one of the special awards categories, they will be automatically entered into that special award category)
The Encouragement Message Special Award
The Pedestrian Safety Special Award.
Judging Criteria
Judges review students’ final posters using specific criteria. Be sure to review these so students can keep them in mind while creating their posters.
Awards and Prizes
Two Stages of the Competition
What Are the Two Stages?
The competition is judged in two stages, with awards given at each stage:
Regional contests: PSAs are judged and awarded by region (usually divided by county) in each category.
Final awards: The best of the best from all poster PSAs submitted are honored at the annual Red Carpet Streets, Art, SAFE Awards Ceremony.
How the Awards Work:
Winning posters of the regional contests will have their certificates and trophies delivered to their schools.
The overall top winners of the competition are honored at the live red-carpet Streets, Art, SAFE Awards Ceremony (SAS Awards), which is open to all participating schools.
Awards, Trophies, Prizes, and Acknowledgements
The Grand Prize-winning teams and Special Awards Category-winning teams, including the sponsoring teacher, are acknowledged with a special trophy and grants for the school’s Art Department and/or awards to the student teams.
Technical Awards and Best PSA Awards are acknowledged with trophies.
Students who submit posters for final judging are presented with a certificate acknowledging the accomplishment of their creative endeavor and congratulating them for being finalists.
Have Questions?
Still have questions? We’re happy to help. Reach out to us at S_A_S@StreetsAreForEveryone.org or call us at (844) 884-7233, extension. 804.