Stanford Torus by Don Davis courtesy NASA (Click image for larger version)

Lunar Stadium (1/6 gravity) by Pat Rawlings courtesy NASA (Click image for larger version)

The National Space Society (NSS) is looking for artists to create visions of a spacefaring future — a future of space settlement, be it on the Moon, on Mars, on asteroids, or orbiting independently in space. To bring attention to our goal of creating a spacefaring future, NSS is sponsoring a contest for such artwork to be used in a calendar promoting a future of humans living and working in space. The best of the submitted artwork will be selected for inclusion in the 2009 NSS Space Settlement Calendar.

The NSS Space Settlement 2009 Calendar Art Contest will run until January 11, 2008. CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. Our goal is to have winners announced on or by January 31.

Prizes

The 12 winning entries will receive the following prizes (more prizes may be added to this list during the contest). Four First Prizes will be awarded in each of the following four categories:

1. Orbital settlements
2. Settlements in or on asteroids
3. Settlements on the Moon
4. Settlements on Mars

In addition, one image will be awarded the Grand Prize for being the best artwork overall. This work will be honored with an award at the annual International Space Development Conference and will be featured on the cover of the NSS 2009 Space Settlement Calendar. The prizes are:

For the Grand Prize winner:

Publication as the cover of the National Space Society 2009 Space Settlement Calendar
$200 cash
From DAZ software: a copy of Carrara 6 ($250 value), Hexagon 2.1 ($150 value), and Bryce 6.1 ($100 value)
Starry Night Pro Plus 6.0 — the world's most realistic astronomy software ($250 value)
Project Dogwaffle Professional 3.5 — Award winning paintbox software ($99 value)
Signed copy of 50 Years in Space (2006) by David Hardy and Sir Patrick Moore
Signed copy of Space Art: How to Draw and Paint Planets, Moons, and Landscapes of Alien Worlds (2007) by Michael Carroll
The two-volume book Astronautics (Part 1: Dawn of the Space Age; Part 2: To the Moon and Towards the Future) or your choice of any one-volume space book from Apogee Books
Complimentary admission to the 2008 International Space Development Conference in Washington, DC
1 year complimentary membership in the International Association of Astronomical Artists
1 year complimentary membership in the National Space Society, including a subscription to Ad Astra magazine
5 complimentary copies of the calendar

For each of the four First Prizes winners:

Publication in the National Space Society 2009 Space Settlement Calendar
$100 cash each
From DAZ software: a copy of Carrara 6 ($250 value)
Your choice of any one-volume space book from Apogee Books
1 year complimentary membership in the International Association of Astronomical Artists
1 year complimentary membership in the National Space Society, including a subscription to Ad Astra magazine
2 complimentary copies of the calendar
One random First Prize Winner will receive a copy of the Starry Night Complete Space & Astronomy Pack desktop planetarium software ($50 value)

For the remaining 7 winning entries:

Publication in the National Space Society 2009 Space Settlement Calendar
From DAZ software: a copy of Bryce 6.1 ($100 value)
A copy of the Project Constellation Pocket Space Guide from Apogee Books
1 year complimentary membership in the National Space Society, including a subscription to Ad Astra magazine
A complimentary copy of the calendar

Sponsors:

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the sponsors of the NSS Space Settlement Art Contest:

DAZ strives to bring 3D art directly to the masses by delivering the highest quality digital 3D content and software at the most affordable prices. With a continuing effort at creating realism and diversity in every figure DAZ makes, and a commitment to providing excellent service and support, DAZ works to inspire 3D fans to "Unleash the Artist Within".

The International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA), the world's premier organization dedicated to the advancement of the genre of space art. Its diverse, global membership participates in mankind's scientific exploration of the Universe, visualizing and sharing scientific discoveries via a variety of forms of artistic expression including painting, sculpture, music and dance.

The world's most realistic astronomy software.

Project Dogwaffle at theBest3d.com - Beyond Digital Painting

CG Publishing and Apogee Books is probably the only publishing company in the world that produces both Rock Music books and Space Exploration books.

The premier space activist organization on the planet.