What is the name of Vans' annual high school shoe design contest?

Vans' annual high school shoe design contest is called Vans Custom Culture.

The competition gives high school students a chance to turn blank Vans shoes into original artwork. It was created to promote student creativity and draw attention to the importance of arts education, with schools typically submitting designs based on announced themes.

Vans Custom Culture is a school-based competition rather than an individual product-customization service. Participating students work through their art programs, and prizes have included substantial grants for winning schools. The contest has also used public voting and finalist rounds to showcase student designs.

A common mix-up is confusing the contest with Vans' general customization offerings or inventing a generic title such as “Vans Design Challenge.” The established name is Vans Custom Culture, although its rules, themes and schedule have varied between editions.