Winner of BENEFIT's 2024 Crossroads Music Festival T-shirt design contest announced
LEESBURG, Va. (June 17, 2024) – BENEFIT is pleased to announce the winner of the design contest for the organization’s official 2024 Crossroads Music Festival T-shirt — Samantha Rathjen of Leesburg, Virginia.
BENEFIT is a coalition of musicians and community leaders uniting people with music to raise funds and awareness for nonprofit organizations serving children in Loudoun County.
Contest guidelines stated that artwork design submissions should be relevant to music, musicians or the mission of BENEFIT.
In the description that accompanied her design, “Harmonic Unity,” Rathjen stated she explored “the power of music to connect and inspire.” The handprint symbolizes “BENEFIT’s influence in supporting children through music in the community,” and the play button “encourages viewers to press ‘play’ on their contributions, whether through donations, participation in events, or simply spreading the word about the cause.”
Rathjen’s description also stated that in creating this work, she hoped “to inspire others to recognize and harness their ability to make a difference.”
BENEFIT’s 2024 Crossroads Music Festival will take place in downtown Leesburg, Virginia, Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21.
The 2024 Crossroads Music Festival T-shirts featuring the design created by Rathjen will be sold online leading up to the festival and on-site during the event.
Proceeds of BENEFIT’s 2024 Crossroads Music Festival will provide grant funding that will be distributed in spring 2025 through a grant application process to nonprofit organizations that serve children in Loudoun County.
BENEFIT awarded a total of $17,000 among six nonprofit organizations from proceeds of its 2023 festival. Recipients of BENEFIT grant funding included: Ryan Bartel Foundation, $2,900; Dulles South Soup Kitchen, $2,900; Food For Neighbors, $2,900; A Hand Up - NOVA, Inc., which operates the Northern Virginia Diaper Bank, $2,800; Loudoun Education Foundation, $2,750; and Loudoun Youth, Inc., $2,750.
BENEFIT would like to thank the Town of Leesburg Commission on Public Art (COPA) for their assistance with the T-shirt design contest.
More information about BENEFIT’s 2024 Crossroads Music Festival and how to purchase festival T-shirts can be found online at https://crossroadsmusicfest.org.