Art for Social Change Competition and Showcase

The Art for Social Change Competition seeks to create space for and recognize the role of art in advancing social justice, as a process and a goal. We seek artistic submissions that provoke, challenge, and inspire.

The goal of this competition is to not only call attention to the importance of recognizing the vast inequalities that persist in the world today, but also to recognize the necessity to build a new world –  to dream, to envision, to invent, to create –  redefining how we live and interact with our surroundings. 

Submission Categories

The Art for Social Change Competition and Showcase includes four distinct categories for students to explore.

Submissions will be accepted for consideration in the following categories:

• Remembering MLK
  • Submissions that commemorate the history of the Civil Rights Movement and the legacy of MLK.
• Social Justice In Action
  • Submissions that address contemporary issues of inequality and injustice at the local, national, or global level. 
• Community-Building at WSU
  • Submissions that foster an inclusive community at WSU (must be specific to WSU).
• Community Outreach (Open to K-12 students in Whitman County, Pullman Community College students and Pullman community members)
  • Submissions that build bridges between WSU (or the WSU community and individuals) and other communities.

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Artistic interpretation of themes
• Ability to provoke and inspire change 
• Innovation and originality

Showcase and Awards Reception 

Winners are announced and presented with awards every year at the Art for Social Change Competition Showcase.  The next showcase will be held in February 2023 in the WSU Fine Arts Center.

The event is hosted by the School of Languages, Cultures, and Race. All submissions are featured and available for viewing at the showcase and reception.