Vans announced the beginning of its 13th Vans Custom Culture High School 2022 competition, which will honor its late founder Paul Van Doren who passed away in May. Photo: Vans
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Vans Custom Culture High School 2022 Launches in Honor of Late Company Founder
The 13th-annual Vans High School Custom Culture competition has been announced, with this year's event honoring the Costa Mesa, Calif., action-sports brand's late founder Paul Van Doren who passed away in May. Through Feb. 4, high-school art departments may register for the competition. Following a decision-making process that will end Feb. 18, 250 schools will be sent a kit through which they will develop and submit their physical shoe designs for consideration under two themes: "Hometown Pride" and "Van D(IY)oren Legacy." The winning design will receive $50,000 for its high school's art program.
With the addition of the Van D(IY)oren Legacy theme, Vans is celebrating the Off the Wall spirit that Van Doren embraced. This theme encourages students to showcase their DIY interpretations of Vans' four pillars of action sports, art, music, and street culture. Authentic student designs should focus on one of the pillars, yet also include touches of their own style or a unique characteristic of their classes.
Once the 250 schools are chosen, in addition to their kits, they will also be eligible to receive a $50 Yoobi gift card for art supplies. The shoes on which students will work will be sent to schools between Feb. 22-March 4. A deadline of April 15 has been established for schools to submit final designs. The top 50 schools will be selected during the week of April 18. Those 50 designs will be presented for online voting, which will determine five finalists. Online voting begins April 25.
On May 16, winners will be announced with the grand prize of $50,000 being sent to the top school to fund its art program. Runners up will receive $15,000. The top five schools will receive an artist mentorship lesson from a Vans art ambassador. These ambassadors include Tony Whlgn, Sydney G. James, Jay Howell, Todd Francis, Mich Miller, Kelly Breez, Camilo Medina, Noah Humes, O.J. Hays, Tony Whlgn, Sara Yukiko Mon, and David Heo. Vans and Scholarship America are also partnering to provide a $10,000 scholarship to five graduating seniors from the top 250 schools.
Registration for Vans High School Custom Culture can be found through the event's website. How-to art lessons from Vans ambassadors can be found via Vans' YouTube channel.
