Welcome to Illini Art & Business Collective’s 2026 Earth Day Art Contest!
This spring, IABC is collaborating with students from UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, and Visionary Arts Art Studio to celebrate Earth Day (April 22nd, 2026).
Participants will create work that explores environmental impact, conservation, and nature. MULTIPLE MEDIUMS ARE WELCOME, from visual arts to writing to music!!!
Our objective is to create opportunities to develop business acumen and promote UIUC’s best artists to our Illini community.
The honorable mentions and winners of each category will be announced on the FAA and IABC newsletters and documented on IABC’s website. They also will have their works displayed at our final exhibition in April 2026 at Temple Hoyne Buell Hall!
Open to all UIUC students!
Event Details
Submission Period: 3/9/2026 - 4/8/2026 (All submissions after 4/8/2026 will be ineligible for prizes and exhibition rights)
Judging Period: 4/9/2026 (Winners announced 4/10/2026)
Exhibition Opening/Award Ceremony Date: 4/18/2026
Exhibition Location: TBD
Theme/prompt: Earth Day Everyday: Small actions, big impact (more details below)
Format: Juried exhibition with selected works displayed publicly
Prizes: Category winners will get $100 cash prizes, a certificate, plus have their work showcased at our final exhibition and exhibitions at UCSD and the Bay Area.
Additionally, a separate jury of environmental clubs will be handing out the “Environmental Impact Award” to the artwork they deem most powerfully represents environmental awareness, sustainability, and the spirit of Earth day
Judges will determine honorable mentions for each category, which will also be displayed at the final exhibition
Out of the category winners, a “Best-in-show” award will be handed out by the judges
Theme
Earth Day Everyday: Small Actions, Big Impact
Earth Day reminds us to care for the planet, but meaningful environmental change does not happen on just one day each year. It is built through the everyday choices people make, such as how we consume, move, create, and interact with the natural world around us.
This year, we invite artists to reflect on the idea that small, individual actions can accumulate into powerful collective impact. A single reusable bag, planting a tree, repairing an object instead of discarding it, choosing to walk to class instead of drive, or voting to protect a local habitat—these small gestures can shape the future of our planet.
Submissions might explore themes such as:
• Everyday environmental habits and routines
• The relationship between people and the natural environments they inhabit
• Community led environmental change
• Acts of restoration, conservation, or repair
• The contrast between small actions and large global consequences
• Hope, resilience, and the future of the planet
Finally, while we have a preferred theme, any work relating to Earth Day and its ideas of conservation, restoration, and nature is welcome. What matters most is the quality of the art and the experience of the artist in creating it.
Categories
3D Works & Time Based Media
Three-dimensional artworks that occupy physical space. This includes sculpture, ceramics, installations, mixed media objects, and other sculptural forms.
Time based media includes any media that occupies time, including dance, music, and film.
Writing
Written works that engage with the theme through language. This includes poetry, short prose, personal essays, or other creative writing formats.
2D Works
Flat, two-dimensional artworks intended to be viewed from the front. This includes painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, collage, digital illustration, and other flat media.
Submission Guidelines
Any medium is allowed unless otherwise specified!!! Dance, art, writing, are all open to submission! Open to all UIUC students!
Work must be created by the submitting artist
Unlimited submissions per person/group across the three categories
AI-generated artwork is not permitted
Artists retain full ownership of their work
Submission portal here (users must make an account first!), open to all submissions before 4/8!!!
Specific format and submission instructions will be provided upon submission.
Judging Criteria
Submissions will be evaluated based on:
Concept & Intent
Clarity of idea, message, or purpose behind the workExecution & Craft
Technical control and thoughtful use of mediumCreative Decision-Making
Evidence of intentional choices relating to thought processPresentation & Communication
How the artist explains their work and process
Meet the Judges
Professor Eric Benson (Associate Professor and Chair of Graphic Design & Design for Responsible Innovation)
Eric Benson is an Associate Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. He earned a BFA in graphic and industrial design from the University of Michigan (1998) and an MFA in design from the University of Texas at Austin (2006). Before entering academia, he worked as a UI/UX designer at Razorfish and Texas Instruments.
His MFA thesis led to Re-nourish, an internationally recognized sustainable design initiative. His research focuses on life centered systems thinking and climate-focused design, explored through projects such as the Fresh Press agri-fiber paper lab and the Climify climate action podcast.
Benson has published and lectured internationally on sustainable design, and his work has been exhibited at institutions including The Walker Art Center, the Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, the Hammer Museum, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and RISD.
Do you have an idea for an event? Join one of our teams!
The IABC is a new and growing organization, and the Events Team plays a central role in shaping its programming and direction. Team members help plan and execute speaker events and workshops while building the systems and processes that will define IABC’s future.
If you love our events and want to support our organization, consider joining one of our teams! Help support a dynamic and growing creative ecosystem here at UIUC!