Fuji Spray Auto Is the First-Ever Sponsor of CREF’s Art Meets Automotive Competition
Fuji Spray Auto Is the First-Ever Sponsor of CREF’s Art Meets Automotive Competition
The Collision Repair Education Foundation’s Art Meets Automotive competition has run for five years without a sponsor. In 2026, that changes. Fuji Spray Auto is stepping in as the program’s first-ever official sponsor — backing the national competition that puts collision repair students’ paintwork, custom fabrication, and refinishing skill in front of the industry at SEMA.
Here’s what the sponsorship includes, why we committed, and how students and instructors can enter.
What Is Art Meets Automotive?
Now in its 5th year, Art Meets Automotive is CREF’s national competition for collision repair students and instructors. Participants design and build an original project using painting, sculpting, welding, or a combination of techniques — then ship the finished piece to CREF for judging.
The 2026 competition runs two tracks: one for students, one for instructors. Winners are recognized at the CREF Instructor Breakfast during the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, in front of the industry leaders who hire, equip, and train the next generation of refinishers.
50 Spray Guns for Collision Repair Students and Schools
As part of the sponsorship, we’re donating 50 spray guns to support the competition and CREF’s broader education programs:
The donation centers on the VALOR Mini H50 — our compact spot-repair gun built for precision and detail work. For a competition where control and fine detail decide the result, it’s the right tool for the job.
Why We Sponsor: Students Should Train on Real Equipment
Most collision programs run on donated, outdated, or inconsistent equipment. That’s a problem, because equipment shapes technique.
A student who builds their habits on the same class of gun they’ll run in a shop booth walks into their first job with real spray time already behind them. That’s the gap this sponsorship closes.
Beyond the Competition: $100,000 Invested in Collision Education
The Art Meets Automotive sponsorship is one piece of a larger commitment. By the end of 2026, our total contributions to collision repair education are expected to reach $100,000, including:
- Equipment donations to schools and training programs across North America
- Participation in CREF’s scholarship selection process
- Our Education Support Program, which gives students and recent graduates access to professional spray guns at significantly reduced cost — removing one of the biggest barriers new technicians face entering the trade
