...

lib/screens/contribute_screen.dart

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ const _districts = [
   'Malappuram', 'Kozhikode', 'Wayanad', 'Kannur', 'Kasaragod', 'Other',
 ];
 
-const _categories = [
+const _categories_fallback = [
   'Music', 'Food', 'Arts', 'Sports', 'Tech', 'Community',
   'Dance', 'Film', 'Business', 'Health', 'Education', 'Other',
 ];
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class _ContributeScreenState extends State<ContributeScreen>
 
   DateTime? _selectedDate;
   TimeOfDay? _selectedTime;
-  String _selectedCategory = _categories.first;
+  String _selectedCategory = 'Music';
   String _selectedDistrict = _districts.first;
   List<XFile> _images = [];
   bool _submitting = false;
@@ -135,6 +135,13 @@ class _ContributeScreenState extends State<ContributeScreen>
             body: Center(child: BouncingLoader(color: Colors.white)),
           );
         }
+        // Sync _selectedCategory with provider data if it's missing from current list
+        if (provider.eventCategories.isNotEmpty && !provider.eventCategories.contains(_selectedCategory)) {
+          WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
+            if (mounted) setState(() => _selectedCategory = provider.eventCategories.first);
+          });
+        }
+
         return Scaffold(
           backgroundColor: Colors.white, // Changed from _blue
           body: SafeArea(
@@ -287,9 +294,36 @@ class _ContributeScreenState extends State<ContributeScreen>
             child: Center(
               child: Column(
                 children: [
-                  Icon(Icons.emoji_events_outlined, size: 48, color: Colors.grey.shade300),
-                  const SizedBox(height: 12),
-                  Text('No rankings available for this area.', style: TextStyle(color: Colors.grey.shade400)),
+                  Container(
+                    padding: const EdgeInsets.all(24),
+                    decoration: BoxDecoration(
+                      color: Colors.amber.withOpacity(0.1),
+                      shape: BoxShape.circle,
+                    ),
+                    child: const Icon(Icons.emoji_events_rounded, size: 72, color: Colors.amber),
+                  ),
+                  const SizedBox(height: 24),
+                  const Text(
+                    'No Contributor Yet',
+                    style: TextStyle(
+                      fontSize: 22,
+                      fontWeight: FontWeight.w800,
+                      color: _darkText,
+                    ),
+                  ),
+                  const SizedBox(height: 10),
+                  Padding(
+                    padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 40),
+                    child: Text(
+                      'No contributors in $currentDistrict yet. Be the first to join the ranks!',
+                      textAlign: TextAlign.center,
+                      style: const TextStyle(
+                        color: _subText,
+                        fontSize: 15,
+                        height: 1.5,
+                      ),
+                    ),
+                  ),
                 ],
               ),
             ),
@@ -1181,7 +1215,13 @@ class _ContributeScreenState extends State<ContributeScreen>
                     children: [
                       _inputLabel('Category', required: true),
                       const SizedBox(height: 6),
-                      _dropdown(_selectedCategory, _categories, (v) => setState(() => _selectedCategory = v!)),
+                      if (provider.eventCategories.isEmpty)
+                        const SizedBox(
+                          height: 48,
+                          child: Center(child: SizedBox(width: 20, height: 20, child: CircularProgressIndicator(strokeWidth: 2))),
+                        )
+                      else
+                        _dropdown(_selectedCategory, provider.eventCategories, (v) => setState(() => _selectedCategory = v!)),
                     ],
                   ),
                 ),
@@ -1799,7 +1839,7 @@ class _ContributeScreenState extends State<ContributeScreen>
     _mapsLinkCtl.clear();
     _selectedDate = null;
     _selectedTime = null;
-    _selectedCategory = _categories.first;
+    _selectedCategory = _categories_fallback.first;
     _selectedDistrict = _districts.first;
     _images.clear();
     _coordMessage = null;