Toyota Dream Car USA Art Contest Kicks Off on November 1

Free Contest Aims to Spark Imaginative Designs by Youth for Cars of the Future

PLANO, Texas (October 25, 2021) – Get your kids’ creative engines started! Unpack the art supplies, unbuckle imaginations and kickstart the freewheeling designs of what your kids think cars should look like in the future. Then, enter their artworks in the Toyota Dream Car USA Art Contest. Submissions created by youth, ages 4-15, are accepted online or by mail starting November 1, 2021 through January 31, 2022.

It’s easy to enter. Kids create an original drawing by hand using digital tools, crayons, color pencils, ink pens, markers or paint (acrylic or watercolor). With the assistance of an adult, they complete an entry form, which is submitted with the drawing (the original, if sent by mail; an image, if using the online form). Details – with official rules, artwork guidelines and entry forms – are at www.ToyotaDreamCarUSA.com.

“Great ideas begin with a dream. We invite youth across the country to share their vision, creativity and excitement for the future of mobility,” said Sean Suggs, group vice president, Toyota Social Innovation.

Judged on uniqueness, artistry and execution of concept, artworks are reviewed by age group:

Category 1 (4-7 years)
Category 2 (8-11 years)
Category 3 (12-15 years)

The top three winners in each age group receive awards (gold, silver and bronze) with cash prizes.

In addition, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California, will give out its Petersen Prestige Award to one of the nine contest winners, which includes a display of the winning artwork at the museum.

“We were so impressed with the creativity and array of social issues demonstrated by youth in last year’s contest and can hardly wait to see what new dream cars come to life this year,” said Terry L. Karges, executive director of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Last year’s Petersen Prestige Award recipient is Jery Chen whose “Fly Higher with Toyota” artwork will be displayed this year, along with seven 3D replicas created by California State University, Dominquez Hills Center for Innovation in STEM Education students, in The Petersen’s Rob and Melani Walton Discovery Center, October 30, 2021 through March 27, 2022. Prints of artworks by 11 past youth winners will also be displayed with the 3D replicas.

The first Toyota Dream Car Art Contest was held in Japan during 2004, and it has expanded to include nearly 90 countries today who host their own national contests. The United States launched its first national contest in 2012. All countries submit their top nine winners to Japan as entries to the world contest. To learn more about the world contest, visit www.Toyota-DreamCarArt.com. To learn more about the USA contest, visit www.ToyotaDreamCarUSA.com.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships. Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 36,000 in the U.S. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 30 million cars and trucks at our 9 manufacturing plants, 10 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.

To help inspire the next generation for a career in STEM-based fields, including mobility, Toyota launched its virtual education hub at www.TourToyota.com with an immersive experience and chance to visit many of our U.S. manufacturing facilities. The hub also includes a series of free STEM-based lessons and curriculum through Toyota USA Foundation partners, virtual field trips and more. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

About Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum has one of the largest public automotive collections in the world. A global brand recognized as a center for automotive thought, the museum attracts and engages auto enthusiasts worldwide. This year, its expanding selection of digital content has resulted in a 60% increase in international visitation and 40% increase in visitation by women. Popular among all include the now-virtual editions of Petersen Car Week, private collection tours of The Vault (features over 250 iconic and rare vehicles), educational field trips, and global “Cars & Coffee” events. To learn more, visit www.petersen.org. The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity.