Undergraduate Award for Excellence in Art

Calling all undergraduate studentsto submit for the CHA’sUndergraduate Award for Excellence in Art competition. These awards are designed to highlight impressive works of art from any area including but not limited to:visual arts, music, performance, film, dance, theatre, etc.

Image of a bison breaking out of a lightbulb with the words Liberty Freedom Democracy The Fight for IDeas

Liberty, Freedom, Democracy: The Fight for Ideas

These three words—liberty, freedom, democracy—are words associated with the United States, the belief that the US in the guise of “American Dream” imagery and mythology promises to all who come to its shores. In the last decade these words, and all they convey and connote, have also been wielded for political purposes, weaponized rhetorically to suggest that certain people and ideologies are more worthy of being American than others. That certain people belong in the US and are entitled to liberty, freedom, democracy—and everyone else is excluded from these terms and their concepts.

What does “liberty” in the context of US civil rights means, particularly given the erosion of rights that the Supreme Court has been handing down in the last few years? And is it “freedom” to be who you want to be or “freedom” from various oppressions—and who decides what is considered “oppression” vs what is “freedom”? And in a time when democracy, globally, seems under threat—where for the first time in its history the United States was in danger of a peaceful transition of power on January 6, 2021—the question of what makes a nation a “democracy” and who “democracy” is for, are among the considerations that the CHA wishes to take up through this theme.

1st Place Award: $1000

2nd Place Award: $500

Honorable mentions: $250

Note: the award may be subject totax

SubmissionDeadline: March 3, 2024

Eligibility

  • All undergraduate students are invited to submit
  • Groups and collaborative teams are encouraged to apply! Note that the award amount will be split between the group participants. All team members must be eligible to apply.
  • Works must be completed. Proposals for new work and projects will not be considered.

Selection Criteria

  • Works will be evaluated based on artistic merit and adherence to the theme

Expectations

  • Awarded selections will be featured on the CHA's website. Award recipients agree to provide the CHA with web-ready files.

How to apply

  • Fill out the application form
  • Upload a brief (1 page or less) description of your work and the process you used for creating the artistic work. Be sure to include the title of your piece.
  • Include up to 5 examples of your work or piece: photo documentation from multiple angles, video, etc - if a book or manuscript, it can be a multi-page PDF. Upload one zipped folder or file only. Maximum file size: 10MB. If your file is larger (for example, video) uploadit to your website, YouTube, Vimeo, etc and share the link with the reviewers.
  • Only one entry per participant

Apply today!

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