Vans Custom Culture opens the chance for all high schools students to participate in a SUPER cool competition where they are challenged to create custom pairs of Vans shoes. The top five schools will be flown to LA to compete in the Art Showcase (in May) for the grand prize of $50,000, which will go to their school's art program. Aside from the competition, Vans, has teamed up with designers like Trina Turk, Peter Som, Lauren Conrad, and Whitney Port along with a host of musicians, artists, and celebrities to create custom Vans.

Why Custom Culture?
Mirroring company ideals of originality and creative expression, Vans believes in the power of art in schools as not only a creative outlet, but also as an important educational component. "Not only are the number of jobs based in creative skills growing, but developing and exercising inherent creativity nurtures traits applicable in nearly any career path," Vans' Vice President of Marketing Doug Palladini said. "Vans aims to support art programs and help fight budget cuts that are all too common by inspiring students to embrace their creativity while also educating communities at large about the importance of art in the schools."



How to enter:
On February 1, 2012, Vans Custom Culture registration opens to all U.S.-based high school art programs, accepting the first 1,000 registrant schools into this year's competition. Enter here: Website: http://www.vans.com/customculture/

Schools will be narrowed initially by an internal Vans team and then in later stages by public voting, through the Vans Custom Culture website. The top five schools will showcase their designs at the Vans Custom Culture final event held in Los Angeles in May 2012.

Then what?
Vans Custom Culture encourages students to express their personal creativity through customizing four favorite Vans canvas styles: the Authentic, 106 Vulcanized, Sk8-Hi and Classic Slip-On. Students are charged with designing each pair of shoes to fit within one of three themes representing the Vans lifestyle including action sports, art and music and then also a fourth theme "local flavor" reflecting regional inspiration.

The top five schools will be chosen by public voting and given a travel budget to fly to Los Angeles!