As Custom Culture grows, our partner base has expanded to include truth®, the nation's largest youth smoking prevention campaign.  truth® is offering the Top 50 semi-finalist schools the opportunity to win a trip for 4 to NYC plus $10,000 for their art program. The challenge? Customize a skateboard deck with a design inspired by their reaction to the following ugly truth about Big Tobacco:

As early as 1998, execs from one major tobacco company discussed "covertly" contacting graffiti artists to paint for them in key locations.

Once the deck design is complete, the semi-finalists should email a photo of it to customculture@vans.com by 11:59pm Eastern Time on May 17th. Winners will be contacted directly and then publicly announced on June 11th 2013, on the Vans Custom Culture website and at the final event in New York. To seriously increase the chances of winning the $10k, truth® encourages the top 50 semi-finalist schools to check out the "Skateboard Deck Design Guidelines"

About truth
truth's mission is to expose how the tobacco industry has manipulated their products, research and advertising to secure replacements for the 1,200 customers they "lose" every day in America. You know, because they die. We're not here to preach or blow sunshine up your nether regions. Our only goal is to make sure everyone gets the unfiltered, unadulterated facts about tobacco. For more information, check out http://www.thetruth.com/.

Vans is continually dedicated to promoting creative self expression among students. For the 2013 Custom Culture competition, Vans is incredibly excited to welcome back a special partnership with US based shoe retailer, Journeys, to present the Local Attitude award. This award will highlight one of the final five schools that creates the most compelling Local Flavor themed shoes with a $10,000 donation to that school's art program. This award will be presented to one of the final five schools at the final event in New York City!

About Journeys
Founded in 1986, Journeys is a fashion-forward leader in the retail footwear market, with stores in nearly every local community that promote and reflect their customers' lifestyle and attitude. For more information on Journeys and the Local Attitude award, check out their website at www.journeys.com/atc.

Vans Custom Culture is proud to welcome new partner Americans for the Arts in celebrating the 2013 VANS Custom Culture Competition. Learning in the arts enables every individual to develop the critical thinking, collaborative, and creative skills necessary to succeed in today’s ever-changing world. Americans for the Arts envisions a country where every child has access to—and takes part in—high quality learning experiences in the arts, both in school and in the community. In recognition of this partnership, Vans has made a donation of $50,000 to Americans for the Arts.

About Americans for the Arts
For more than 50 years, Americans for the Arts has led the national effort to ensure that every American has an opportunity to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts, championing the cause of the arts and arts education in communities across the country. From our offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, we proudly serve more than 150,000 members and stakeholders annually. Learn more about us at www.AmericansForTheArts.org/go/Vans