"Our Town" in Pictures - A Kid's-Eye View

Student photography plus music presented by the North State Symphony

our town in picturesA grant awarded by The James Irvine Foundation provides students in the North State with the opportunity to take part in a powerful and unique experience, which will combine the beauty of classical music with photography of our beautiful North State. This project is also funded in part by The McConnell Foundation, Redding California. The McConnell Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to help build better communities through philanthropy.

Students fourteen years old and younger can participate.   

Capture the beauty of your environment – family, loved ones, the world around you, nature, and all the surroundings that define “Our Town.”

Submit YOUR pictures electronically through the link on this page.

Selected photographs will be used to create a photo-montage film. This film will be shown at concerts in November, 2011, while the orchestra accompanies it, playing Aaron Copland’s “Our Town.”

Student photographers whose works are selected will be notified and credit will be included in the symphony program. Those whose works are honored will also receive complimentary tickets to the symphony concert in November.

The "Our Town in Pictures" exhibit is on display at the Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology through Oct. 21. The exhibit moves to Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, Nov. 2 through Dec. 4.

Submission process

Although the deadline for photo submissions to be judged for display in exhibits has passed, submissions are still being accepted for possible inclusion in the photo montage to be shown at North State Symphony concerts in November.

For each student submitting photos, an Artist Release Form must be signed by a parent or guardian over 18 years of age. If there are recognizable people in your photo(s), you must submit a Subject Release Form for each person in the photos. See the instructions below.

There is no charge for photos to be submitted.

Submit photos through your school:

  • If you are invited to participate in the "Our Town" project through your school, follow the instructions you are given by your teacher.

Submit photos as an individual:

  • Take photos with a digital camera and upload them online.
    • Click here to download the Artist Release Form. Print it, fill it out, and have it signed by a parent or guardian. Mail or bring the release to the North State Symphony office at the address below. Photos from students who have not submitted a signed Artist Release will not be included in the project.
    • After taking your photo(s) and selecting the ones you want to submit, go to our online submission page to upload your photos and information about any people in them.
      ==> Click here to go to the online submission page.
    • If there are recognizable people in your photo(s), download a Subject Release Form. Print one out for each recognizable person in the photos, and have that person (or a parent or guardian if the person is under 18) fill it out and sign it. Bring or mail the Subject Release Forms with your Artist Release Form to the symphony office at the address below.
  • Take photos with a disposable camera and turn the camera in to us.
    • Click here to download the Artist Release Form. Print it, fill it out, and have it signed by a parent or guardian.
    • If there are recognizable people in your photo(s), download a Subject Release Form. Print one out for each recognizable person in the photos, and have that person (or a parent or guardian if the person is under 18) fill it out and sign it.
    • Download this Photo Information Form and write down who is in each photo. Put your name, teacher's name, and school at the top of the form. Bring or mail the camera, your Artist Release, the Subject Release Form(s) and the Photo Information Form to the North State Symphony office at the address below.

North State Symphony
"Our Town"
400 First Street
Chico, CA 95929-0805

Questions? Call 530-898-6692 for more information.