17th annual ceiling tile art competition challenges high schoolers to tackle new mediums

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - As it turns out, a four-by-four foot ceiling tile looks a lot smaller on the ceiling.

"When they come in, they are just absolutely flabbergasted because they've seen them up in the ceiling, and then they stand next to it, and go, 'This is crazy! I don't know if I can do that,'" competition founder Kim Costello said.

Costello said she came up with the idea 17 years ago after moving into an art exhibit space with a high ceiling and dark, drab ceiling tiles. She organized with local high school art teachers to put together a high school art exhibit featuring their pieces on the ceiling. It's since turned into an annual competition with voting open for the 2024-2025 competition almost two decades later.

"There's nothing like going ahead and encouraging children in their art," Costello said.

Costello said she strongly believes in the power of art on a child's development of useful skills. She said the developer of the Space Foundation, built in Colorado Springs in 1983, told her it was one of the factors in choosing the city for its museum.

"They told me that the reason that Colorado Springs ended up being the top winner of the Space Foundation was because we still had art in the schools, and we emphasized art to our young people," Costello said. "You cannot put a spaceship into space if you cannot think outside of the box."

In a city that dreams big, Costello provides a big box for eager students to test their creativity.

13 students submitted entries this competition cycle. All 13 are on display in Costello's store, Academy Art & Frame Company. You can vote in-store or on its Facebook page.