Art Walk Lewiston Auburn, Captive Elements Art House and L/A Arts are excited to announce a very special addition to the 2012 Art Walk calendar of events. In collaboration with the Dempsey Challenge, Downtown L-A will be once more transformed into an interactive public gallery stretching all the way from Captive Elements Art House on Lisbon Street to Main Street, Lewiston.

Taking place on October 12 from 5 to 8:30 p.m., this Art Walk is part of the Dempsey Challenge Community Celebration. The night will feature local artwork, fun musical performances, dance, theatre, spoken word and all-around community collaboration and spirit.

Art Walk is putting a call out to artists to submit their work centered on the theme of “Hope, Healing and Survival.” Submissions can take on multiple forms, including painting, photography, 3-D works, film, live theatrical performance, musical performance, dance, spoken word and poetry.

Submissions are due no later than September 16 at 5 p.m. The event is intended to present artwork that has a direct connection to the themes of the Dempsey Challenge: “Hope, Healing and Survival.” Included with submissions, artists must provide a statement that describes their work and how it connects to the central theme of “Hope, Healing and Survival;” the submission site provides a space for a statement. If this space is not adequate, please email your statement, no longer than a paragraph, to odelle.bowman@laarts.org.

All works submitted to the Art Walk Lewiston Auburn are not guaranteed to be presented during this event; strong submissions will have a clear and direct connection to the mission and vision of the Dempsey Challenge. Art Walk Lewiston Auburn will notify artists if their work has been selected for presentation. Performers are asked to please submit a performance resume as well.

Accepted artwork should be dropped of the L/A Arts, 221 Lisbon Street between September 20 and October 5. This event is expected to attract upwards of 5,000 people to the Lewiston-Auburn Area. This is an amazing opportunity to share your work with your community!

To submit your Visual Arts work for consideration please visit: www.artwalklewistonauburn.com and look for the submission link for the “ Dempsey Challenge Community Celebration “ (Dempsey Challenge will have their own page for submission, not to be confused with the submission page for the September Art Walk Lewiston Auburn).

Poetry, CDs of proposed performances (theatrical, spoken word, and dance), and DVDs of film and music should be dropped off or mailed to L/A Arts, DCCC, 221 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, ME, 04240.

If you wish your submission materials to be returned, please include a Self Addressed Stamped Envelop. For any questions on these submissions contact Odelle Bowman at 782-7228 or Odelle.bowman@laarts.org.

Submission fees for the “Dempsey Challenge Community Celebration” will be waived. Artists who submit their work for sale will be charged a 20% commission for all works sold—5% will cover processing fees for Art Walk Lewiston Auburn, 15% will be donated to the Dempsey Challenge.

Artists may choose to have all of the proceeds from their sales to be donated to the Dempsey Challenge or they may choose to have their work be “Not For Sale.” Artists are asked to please clarify how they would like their work to be processed when they submit their statement and works.

The Dempsey Challenge presented by Amgen is a fundraising experience for The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine.

Comprised of various cycling distances (10, 25, 50, 70 and 100 miles), and a 5K (3.1 mile) and 10K (6.2 mile) run/walk, participants 18 and over are required to raise $150 (and encouraged to raise even more!) as they prepare for The Dempsey Challenge.

The Dempsey Center provides free support, education and wellness services to anyone affected by cancer regardless of where treatment is received. More information on Patrick Dempsey’s personal story and commitment, as well as services provided by the Dempsey Center, can be found at www.dempseycenter.org.

Once every month from May through September, Art Walk Lewiston Auburn will turn the downtowns of Lewiston and Auburn into impressive arts districts. AWLA will fill multiple venues, including vacant buildings, with a spectacular array of art exhibits for all to enjoy.

The 16 locations for Art Walk Lewiston Auburn’s May 25 event span Lisbon Street from Captive Elements Art House up to J. Dostie Jewelers. Maps showing locations of all the art venues are available at every art space, made possible by the 2012 season sponsor: Center Street Dental.

For more information regarding Art Walk Lewiston Auburn, to learn more about submission guidelines or to get involved through volunteering, please visit www.artwalklewistonauburn.com.