2025 Annual Student Competitive Exhibition

Monday, October 20 – Friday, November 7, 2025

About the juror: Kevin Cole received his B.S. from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, M.A. in Art Education from University of Illinois at Urbana and an M.F.A. from Northern Illinois University where he was a Rhoden Smith Scholar. Within the last 32 years, he has received 27 grants and fellowships, 66 awards in art and 51 teaching awards. 

Important dates to remember for students!:

  • Digital submission dates, Monday, September 8 – Monday, September15
  • Students notified about selected and rejected artworks, Tuesday, September 30
  • Drop off selected artworks to the Brad Cushman Gallery, Monday, October 13 – Wednesday, October 15
  • Post-exhibition, pick up your artwork on Monday, November 10 – Friday, November 14

Digital Submission Guidelines:

  1. The Annual Student Competitive is open to all students enrolled in a School of Art and Design studio art course. Majors and minors can submit along with students taking an studio art course as an elective. You don’t have to be a studio art major to enter.
  2. You may enter upwards of four (4) artworks. A set or grouping will b considered an individual entry. Do not group non-related works or “barely related” works as an individual entry.
  3. You must be currently enrolled in an art course with the UA Little Rock School of Art and Design to submit artworks.
  4. Only artworks made in relation to a UA Little Rock School of Art and Design art course created during or after the 2025 Fall Semester can be entered (basically, since the previous Student Competitive.
  5. Uploaded images of your artworks must be 1-5 MB. Each image must be labeled with the student’s last name and the title of the artwork: A. The Photography Student Assistant will set dates in the Lighting Studio to help students digitally photograph their artwork, B. There is also a lighting and photography studio in the 3D area. 1 to 3 views of sculptural objects may be entered per 3D artwork.
  6. Entry Form fields. You must fill out all fields for each entry. Failure to enter ALL requested information could result in your submissions being disqualified. A. Student first and last name, B. Email, C. Physical address, D. Student Workday#, E. Title of artwork, F. Date created, G. Media* and dimensions, H. Instructor name and course name, I. Sale price or Not For Sale. Scholarships, purchase awards and cash awards are presented to students which is why we need your Workday# and mailing address. *Identify the exact media. Do not say “digital”; identify the exact program or programs. Do not say “drawing”; identify the exact media used and the matrix. Do not say “painting”; identify if it is acrylic, oil and if it is on canvas, paper, board, etc.
  7. 3D artwork must include the height (H), width (W) and depth (D). If the 3D artwork is wall mounted, please include (wall hanging) after the title. There are no size restrictions, but please be aware that if a large artwork, a heavy artwork, or a complicted-to-install artwork is selected by the juror, you may be asked to help move, install and deinstall that artwork. **The Gallery Director and the Unit Head of the School of Art and Design have the right to reject an artwork based on difficulty of installation or installation danger to the staff.
  8. Animation submissions should adhere to the following formatting requirements: A. MP4 formatted using h.264 codec, B. 720p video resolution, C. minimum of 30 seconds and a maximum of 120 seconds in length.
  9. A sale price or Not For Sale are the only options. Price upon request is unacceptable. You should be learning how to price your artwork. Discuss pricing with your instructor and or Brian Young, [email protected] or Nathan, [email protected]
  10. The Annual Student Competitive is juried by a person with no affiliation to UA Little Rock and the School of Art and Design.
  11. Students will be notified by email – only – as to the selection or rejection of their submissions.
  12. Students with selected artworks will delivery them to the Brad Cushman Gallery during the posted drop-off days and hours.
  13. Artworks must be “presentation ready” which means ready to install when dropped off at the gallery. Talk with your instructor and or Brian, [email protected] or Nathan, [email protected]. We are all here to answer questions and to offer assistance!
  14. At the end of the exhibition, you are responsible for picking up your artwork. The dates are listed above. If you are unable to pick up your artwork during those days you must tell Brian, [email protected] and Nathan, [email protected] in advance!