Calgary Stampede unveils Youth Poster winner

The Calgary Stampede has announced the winner of the Youth Poster Competition, with the design set to be used in the festival’s 2023 campaign.

Brooklyn Payne designed this year’s winning submission.

The 22-year-old’s poster shows three stampeders wearing western uniforms and performing rides on their horses.

Calgary Stampede poster for 2023 by Brooklyn Payne. (Photo Credit: Calgary Stampede)

“The Stampede continues its commitment to community and youth achievement through the Calgary Stampede Foundation Youth Artist Poster Competition,” said Will Osler, Calgary Stampede first vice-chair. “To have the 2023 Poster representing the Stampede Showriders, a dynamic team of young equestrians, fits in perfectly with our commitment to supporting youth. Congratulations to Brooklyn on their beautifully detailed artwork.”

Payne says their poster is inspired by the showriders and Stampede itself.

“My first inspiration was the idea of community, which is so central to the Calgary Stampede. The second was the image of the Showriders,” said Payne. “There’s something theatrical about them – they put on performances all throughout the Stampede, and they wear a quite visually striking ensemble that I really wanted to try my hand at painting.”

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Payne graduated this year from the Alberta University of Arts, majoring in Fine Arts in painting.

“They are a recipient of the Board of Governors Graduating Student Award, which honours one student from each department at Alberta University of Arts,” said the Calgary Stampede in a release.

Payne says their main focus is to show their art to people throughout the country.

“I want people to look at my poster and see the Stampede’s involvement in fostering local community, especially young people,” Payne said.

“I’m speaking from experience when I say you don’t know how powerful community is until you’re involved in one.”

As the competition winner, Payne gets $10,000 through the Dustin Peers Memorial Scholarship, which is funded by the Brandon Flock Foundation (BFF).

“The Brandon Flock Foundation provides an additional $10,000 in scholarships to the top eight in the competition annually making the competition one of the largest art scholarships in Canada with $20,000 distributed among the top eight finalists,” the Stampede adds.

This marks the fifth year of the competition.