We’re super excited to announce the 2026 Earth Week Community Cleanup, kicking off the 3rd Annual Trash to Treasure Art Challenge in Utica, NY! Join us on Saturday April 25 at 1:00 pm to clean up litter, and look for interesting objects that could be used to create artwork! We will supply trash bags, gloves, and have a limited number of trash pickers and buckets for use during the cleanup.
Earth Week Community Cleanup
What: Volunteer with us to clean up litter in celebration of Earth Week, and kick off our annual Trash to Treasure Art Challenge!
When: Saturday April 25, 2026
1:00pm Grab supplies for your cleanup
3:00pm (ish) Group photo with the final trash pile!
Where: Utica Creative Reuse
Address: 734 Columbia Street, Utica, NY 13502
About the Trash to Treasure Art Challenge
The Trash to Treasure Art Challenge is all about being creative, problem-solving, and making the world a more beautiful place by creating art while also caring for our planet and community!
- What materials or objects that are often thrown away could be used to make art?
- How close to zero-waste can we get in the process of making artwork?
- How does art inspire us and contribute to changes in how we take care of our environment
- Check out our Reuse Resources to find examples of creative reuse artists that try to answer those questions and get inspired yourself!
How to Participate in Trash to Treasure
Create a work of art incorporating objects you find during a trash cleanup in order to participate in the challenge. Submit your work before June 20th to be considered for inclusion in a group exhibition of found-object artwork!
Deadline to Submit Artwork: June 20, 2026
Selected submitted works will be shown in the Trash to Treasure group exhibition, on view July 2026.
Sign up to volunteer for the community cleanup, register for a free found-object art class, or learn more about how to participate in the Trash to Treasure Art Challenge at uticacreativereuse.org/events!
Utica Creative Reuse 
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