Carleton Kinkade’s “Lei Day” won the 2012 Lahaina Poster Contest.

LAHAINA – Artists across the island are gearing up for Lahaina’s annual Poster Contest sponsored by LahainaTown Action Committee and Lahaina Arts Society.

Now in its 24th year, the poster contest offers a grand prize of $2,500. The winning art becomes the limited edition official Lahaina Poster for the next year.

The competition is open to all artists. The artwork must be original and unpublished, with the image being a recognizable scene of Lahaina.

Past winners of this prestigious competition include Carleton Kinkade, George Allen, Stephen Burr, Jim Kingwell, Ronaldo Macedo, C.S. Perry, Erin Dertner, John Cosby, Daryl Millard and Michael Krahn.

In addition to the $2,500 first prize, there are cash prizes for the Lahaina Arts Society Award, Most Promising Artist, People’s Choice and Honorable Mention.

The official Lahaina Poster is limited to 1,000 prints. These posters are popular items for art enthusiasts on Maui and around the world. The winning poster will be sold at the Lahaina Visitor Center and fine galleries throughout the town.

Winners will be announced at a reception on Friday, Aug. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Old Jail Gallery in the Old Lahaina Courthouse.

All Maui entries must be delivered to the LahainaTown Action Committee office located on the second floor of the Old Lahaina Courthouse in Banyan Tree Park. Entries must be received on Friday, Aug. 3, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Off-island entries must be postmarked by July 30, 2012; the correct address is 648 Wharf St., Suite 103, Lahaina, HI 96761.

Prize winners will be chosen from juried entries that will be on exhibit in the Old Jail Gallery from Aug. 6 through Sept. 2.

There is a nonrefundable fee of $20 per entry. The contest is limited to five entries per artist. For more information, visit www.visitlahaina.com or call Lynn Donovan at LahainaTown Action Committee at (808) 667-9175.