In Partnership with

new t-shirt design competition
invites artists to design for dollars

Royal Oak's creative spirit is about to become wearable. In partnership with the Royal Oak Commission for the Arts, Arts, Beats & Eats is launching the inaugural Spirit of Royal Oak T-Shirt Design Competition, a six-week contest inviting artists, designers and creative minds to showcase what makes Royal Oak unique through original T-shirt artwork inspired by the city's energy, culture, events and neighborhoods.

The competition will award $1,500 for first place and $1,000 for second place, with both winning designs produced and sold during Arts, Beats & Eats and through select Royal Oak retailers following the festival. Winners will also receive special recognition on the Arts, Beats & Eats main stage from Mayor Fournier, a representative of the Royal Oak Commission for the Arts, on the festival’s main stage before a major national music act performs.

Adding to the community impact, festival partner Detroit T-Shirt Company will manufacture the shirts at cost and sell them during the festival, helping bring local creativity directly to festivalgoers. Proceeds from sales of the winning designs will benefit the Royal Oak Commission for the Arts and the Royal Oak Civic Foundation, supporting future arts, cultural and community initiatives.

More than a design contest, the Spirit of Royal Oak T-Shirt Design Competition celebrates the artists and ideas that help define the community. The new initiative offers artists an opportunity to contribute to one of the region’s signature events while celebrating the community’s creativity and character.

Click to View Rules & Regulations

Thank you for your submissions!
Here are this years winning designs

1st Place - Lauren McNair
As a local Detroit artist attending the College for Creative Studies, Lauren has always been inspired by art, music, and food. Her love for the creative process has taken her to many places, but she always comes back to be inspired by the local culture. She wanted the shirt to represent the lively diverse crowd that represents the Royal Oak Festival by incorporating recurring themes and colors from the original logo. To jewelry artists, to country music, to a good ol’ pickle, the shirt encompasses a wide range of themes in a modern and chic way.

2nd Place - Silas Mowers "Ridin through RO"

“My design is inspired by the vibrant culture of Royal Oak surrounding things like music and cars, and highlighting iconic locations from our city such as the Detroit Zoo and Woodward Avenue. I captured this through a hand-drawn, digitally colored, postcard style t-shirt design.”

Silas is a current Royal Oak resident who will soon be moving to Ann Arbor to studying art and design at the University of Michigan