2021 Art & Design Competition: James S. Jackson Distinguished Career Award for Diversity Scholarship
The University of Michigan’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) and the National Center for Institutional Diversity (NCID) in cooperation with Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design invite students to propose and create a work of art and/or design to be presented to the recipient of the 2021 James S. Jackson Distinguished Career Award for Diversity Scholarship. This distinguished career award is given biennially and recognizes significant contributions of a senior U‑M faculty member whose research and scholarship – as well as teaching, mentoring and public engagement – have focused on diversity throughout their career.
We are seeking a broad representation/interpretation of diversity to honor the longstanding scholarly contributions the award recipient has made to understanding diversity, equity and inclusion while addressing disparities in contemporary society. Please visit NCID’s website on diversity research and previous award recipients to learn more of the types of scholarship this award represents.
The proposed design and/or artwork can be produced in any medium and must be suitable for presentation at an award ceremony, i.e., able to be physically presented on stage and for display on a shelf or wall or in a public space.
Competition Timeline + Description
* Friday, February 26, 2021: Art & Design Competition Opens.
* Friday, April 30, 2021: Art & Design Submissions Due.
* Monday, May 10: Three to Five Designs Identified as Finalists. Each of the finalists will be provided a $300 materials stipend for prototype production.
* Monday, September 20, 2021: Finalists Deliver Completed Designs.
* Friday, October 8, 2021 to Friday, October 22, 2021: Exhibition of Final Designs. A virtual exhibition of completed designs presented together with a virtual panel, or a lecture, a mid-day symposium and/or charette co-organized by Stamps Gallery.
* Friday, October 22, 2021: One Final Design Selected for the Presentation of the James S. Jackson Award. A panel of judges will select one final piece to be presented to the recipient of the 2021 James S. Jackson Distinguished Career Award for Diversity Scholarship. The artist/designer of the design selected will receive a $1,500 cash award. The artist/designer will be invited to the ceremony where the piece will be awarded to the 2021 JJA recipient. The runner-up finalists will receive a $500 cash award and an honorable mention.
Each application should include:
* Cover sheet with name, email address, graduation date (anticipated), and, if applicable, the name of a faculty advisor/sponsor and their email address
* Proposed design for the distinguished career award (can be a drawing/sketch, digital rendering, or mock-up)
* Dimensions of the proposed work
* Budget: Material costs for producing the work
* Brief description of the proposed idea, including the significance of DEI to the artist/designer and their work (400−500 words max)
* Artist/Designer CV (no more than 3 pages)
How to Apply: Upload the images and the text with cover sheet as a single pdf document saved as: Your last name_your first name_2021_JJA Design to 2021-JJA-Design.
Competition eligibility: Current University of Michigan students.
Questions: For questions about this competition, please contact Professor Endi Poskovic at Stamps School of Art & Design: poskovic@umich.edu.