{"id":3654,"date":"2017-07-02T11:13:07","date_gmt":"2017-07-02T18:13:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/core.humanities.uci.edu\/?page_id=3654"},"modified":"2026-03-09T13:38:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:38:04","slug":"arts-competition","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/core.humanities.uci.edu\/index.php\/awards\/arts-competition\/","title":{"rendered":"Humanities Core Arts"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/h3>\n

\"Screenshot<\/a><\/h3>\n

Visit our virtual exhibitions of past students’ artistic creations<\/a><\/p>\n

2026 Arts Competition<\/h3>\n

\"Wading<\/h3>\n

The Arts Competition encourages Humanities Core students to interpret course themes through artistic expression. Students submit art works in any medium for a prize (1st place: $250, 2nd place: $200, 3rd place $150).<\/p>\n

This year, Humanities Core students are invited to submit original works of art in any medium—including photography, original musical composition, and dance—that are centered on the theme More-than-Human Stories. This theme is a springboard for students to expand upon Humanities Core ideas, texts, visual images, artists, narratives, and experiences that have inspired their curiosity, creativity, and sense of connection.<\/p>\n

The deadline for all submissions is 4:00 on Monday, April 13, 2026. Winners will be announced at the 10th Annual Humanities Core Arts Exhibition on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, from 5\u20137 pm, in HG 1030.<\/p>\n

Learn more about participating<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

2025 Arts Competition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

The Arts Competition encourages Humanities Core students to interpret course themes through artistic expression. Students submit art works in any medium for a prize (1st place: $250, 2nd place: $200, 3rd place $150).<\/p>\n

This year, Humanities Core students are invited to submit original works of art in any medium – including photography, original musical composition, and dance – that are centered on the theme Reimagine. Revise. Reclaim<\/em>. This theme is a springboard for students to expand upon Humanities Core ideas, texts, visual images, artists, narratives, and experiences that have inspired their curiosity, creativity, and sense of connection.<\/p>\n

The deadline for all submissions is 4:00 p.m. on Monday, April 7, 2025.\u00a0 Student submissions are judged by a panel of Humanities Core instructors, and the winners are announced at the Humanities Core Arts Exhibition, which will be held on May 6, 2025.<\/p>\n

Learn more about participating<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

2024 Arts Competition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"2024<\/p>\n

The 8th annual Humanities Core Arts Competition, sponsored by Humanities Core and UCI Illuminations<\/a>, encourages Humanities Core students to interpret course themes through artistic expression. Students can submit art works in any medium for a prize (1st place: $300, 2nd place: $200, 3rd place $100).<\/p>\n

This year, Humanities Core students are invited to submit original works of art in any medium<\/b>\u2013including photography, original musical composition, and dance\u2013that are centered on the Humanities Center\u2019s 2023-24 theme: Care and Repair<\/strong>. This theme is a springboard for students to expand upon Humanities Core ideas, texts, visual images, artists, narratives, and experiences that have inspired their curiosity, creativity, and sense of connection.<\/p>\n

Learn more about participating<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

The deadline for all submissions is 4 p.m. on Monday, April 15, 2024. Please submit no more than one artwork. All participants must fill out the Arts Competition Submission Form<\/a>. Works submitted as digital files can be uploaded with this form. To arrange for delivery of physical art pieces, please contact Professor Castillo at larisa.castillo@uci.edu. Winners will be announced at the 8th Annual Humanities Core Arts Exhibition on May 9th, 2024.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2023 Arts Competition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With the generous support of UCI Illuminations: The Chancellor’s Arts & Culture Initiative<\/a>, the 2023 Humanities Core Arts Celebration welcomed UCI community members to an in-person gathering as well as virtual exhibition celebrating the creative works of Humanities Core students on the theme of portals.<\/p>\n

Congratulations to this year’s winners:<\/p>\n

First place: “A Populated MIND,” filmed dance performance by Kendal Villa<\/p>\n

Second place: “Beautiful Imperfections: A Dance with Life,” musical composition by Tina Roshannia<\/p>\n

Third place (tie): “Nocturnal Fermentation,” poem by Matthew Garcia-Ramirez, and “Ink Spill,” poem by Cathy Nguyen<\/p>\n

Honorable mention: “Quilting with Others,” quilt by Shannon Au, Vivian Le, and Jenny Ngo<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Arts Competition encourages Humanities Core students to interpret course themes through artistic expression. Students submit art works in any medium for a prize (1st place: $350, 2nd place: $250, 3rd place $150).<\/p>\n

\"2023<\/p>\n

This year, Humanities Core students are invited to submit original works of art in any medium — including original musical composition and dance — centered on the theme Portals<\/i><\/b>. The theme is a springboard for students to expand upon Humanities Core ideas, texts, visual images, artists, narratives, and more that have inspired their curiosity and creativity. Portals, both literal and metaphoric, pervade the works we are studying. The Brigata in Boccaccio\u2019s Decameron, <\/i>for example, used their storytelling as a portal through which they could envision a reality safe from the plague. Sanford Biggers and Carrie Mae Weems use reworked quilts and daguerreotypes as portals through which Black histories are retold. The graphic novel adaptation of Parable of the Sower<\/i> serves as a portal through which Afro-futurist worldscapes are accessed. These and many other works from thinkers such as John Jennings, Gene Yang, and Charles Yu explore possibility through openings, passages, gateways, thresholds, conduits\u2013motifs\u00a0 resonating with the theme Portals<\/i><\/p>\n

How have you experienced this theme in Humanities Core? What texts have transported you into new realities? What worlds have you uncovered throughout your Humanities Core journey?<\/p>\n

The Exhibition<\/b><\/p>\n

Students submissions are judged by a panel of Humanities Core instructors, and the winners are announced at the Humanities Core Arts Exhibition, which will be held in-person. The exhibition is at once a celebration of student creativity and an experiential space in which students, instructors, and the public can connect intellectually and socially around the ideas Humanities Core generates. All student artworks are displayed, often alongside the artworks of instructors or thematically-related materials from UCI Libraries Special Collections.<\/p>\n

Submission Instructions<\/b><\/p>\n

The deadline for all submissions is 4:00 on Monday, April 17, 2023. Please submit no more than one artwork. All participants must fill out the Arts Submission Form. Works submitted as digital files can be uploaded with this form; to arrange for delivery of physical art pieces, please contact Dr. Susan Morse at smorse@uci.edu or Professor Castillo at larisa.castillo@uci.edu.<\/p>\n

Submission Form<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Winners will be announced at the 7th Annual Humanities Core Arts Celebration on May 4, 2023, from 5-7 pm, in HG 1010. Artworks will also be exhibited in the Humanities Core Digital Art Gallery<\/a>.\u00a0Please direct questions to Larisa Castillo (larisa.castillo@uci.edu<\/a>) or Susan Morse (smorse@uci.edu<\/a>).<\/p>\n

This program has been funded by Illuminations: The Chancellor’s Arts & Culture Initiative<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2022 Arts Competition<\/h3>\n

The 2022 Celebration of Humanities Core Arts once again exhibited virtually the creative works Humanities Core students submitted, on the theme Dreams.<\/p>\n

Congratulations to this year’s winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n

First Place: Anonymous, Counterattack of the Sea<\/i><\/em>
\nSecond Place: Adison Brager, Wasteland Baby<\/i><\/em>
\nThird Place: Corinna Cannell, The Beginning of a Dream<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n

Honorable Mentions: Abby Redmond, Achieving Mindfulness Through the Unconscious Mind; <\/i>Chloe Wilson, am I real?<\/i>; and Caitlyn Cheung, Just a Dream<\/i>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"2022<\/p>\n

Humanities Core students are invited to submit original works of art in any medium centered on the theme: Dreams<\/strong>. Winners will be announced at the virtual Humanities Arts Celebration on May 6, 2022, 11 a.m. on UCI Zoom<\/a>. Artworks will be exhibited in the Humanities Core Digital Art Gallery.<\/p>\n

Online Submission Form<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

The deadline for all submissions is 4:00 p.m. on April 4, 2022. Please submit no more than one artwork. All participants must fill out the Arts Submission Form. Works submitted as digital files can be uploaded with this form; to arrange for delivery of physical art pieces, please contact Professor Castillo at larisa.castillo@uci.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
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The 2021 Celebration of Humanities Core Arts<\/em><\/h3>\n

exhibits artworks that Core students submitted to Core’s Annual Arts Competition. This year’s celebration marks the launch of the Humanities Core digital art gallery, which displays students’ creative responses to the theme of Alternative Realities. Winners of the competition are announced at the celebration.<\/p>\n

Congratulations to this year’s winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n

First Place: Maya Yoshikawa Kang, The Roles Reversed: Humans as Spectacles<\/em>
\nSecond Place: Tina Gu, Reality: Twice Removed<\/em>
\nThird Place (Tie): Jorina Chen, Coexistence<\/em>, and Robert Bautista, Gateway<\/em><\/p>\n

Honorable Mentions: Michael Gabriel Crisostomo Villora, Chimerical Love<\/em>, and Daniel Sanchez, Fallen Alien<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"2021<\/p>\n

Organized for the past five years by Dr. Larisa Castillo, Associate Professor of Teaching, Humanities Core’s Arts Competition and Celebration encourage creative, experiential learning that helps students connect to humanistic ideas, their humanity, and their community. Accordingly, the Celebration itself occasions creative connections–between students, faculty, staff, and the ideas that have inspired students. Family and friends are welcome.<\/p>\n

2021 Arts Competition<\/h3>\n

\"Humanities<\/p>\n

For this year’s Art Competition, Humanities Core invites its students to submit original works of art in any medium on the theme Alternative Realities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Online Submission Form<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

All are invited to the Celebration of Humanities Core Arts<\/em> on Friday, May 21, 11am-12pm on Zoom<\/a> (meeting ID 99837393550).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2020 Arts Competition<\/h3>\n

Our congratulations to:<\/p>\n

Reiko Inoue, first place, for the watercolor and colored pencil piece Dance of Human Animals<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Award-winning<\/p>\n

Nicole Lam, second place, for the acrylic painting Lion Girl<\/em><\/p>\n

Anonymous, third place, for the acrylic painting You’re an Animal<\/em><\/p>\n

And thanks to all who joined us in celebrating students’ creative work at this year’s Arts Gala, featured in an article in New University<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For the fourth annual Art Competition, Humanities Core invites its students to submit original works of art in any medium centered on the theme Transformations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"2020<\/p>\n

The deadline for all submissions is 3pm on January 10, 2020<\/strong>. All entrants must complete the online submission form. Works submitted as digital files can be uploaded with this form; if you are delivering physical artwork to the Humanities Core office (185 HIB), you must upload a photo of the artwork with this form. Please submit no more than one entry. Contact for questions: Dr. Castillo, larisa.castillo@uci.edu<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/i> Online Submission Form<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

2019 Arts Competition<\/h3>\n

Our congratulations to:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aliza Hasnain, first place award for the painting\u00a0Worldliness in Cordoba<\/em><\/p>\n

\"2019<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sherry Valle, second place award for the digital collage\u00a0A Desolated World<\/em><\/p>\n

Gabriel Gonzales, third place award for the screenplay Benvenuti a Roma<\/em><\/p>\n

And thanks to all who joined us in celebrating students’ creative work at this year’s Arts Gala.<\/p>\n

\"2019\"2019<\/p>\n

Submission Guidelines:<\/p>\n

Submit no more than one entry by 4pm on January 25, 2019<\/strong><\/span>. Physical works, such as paintings, should be easily transportable and should be submitted to the Humanities Core office, HIB 185. Digital documents, such as digital art or texts, should be submitted electronically, and recorded performances\u2013drama, dance, film, music\u2013should not exceed 10 minutes and should also be submitted electronically.<\/p>\n

A signed submission form must be turned in to HIB 185. It can be downloaded and printed out or filled out in the office.
\n<\/i> Submission Form<\/a><\/i> Electronic File Upload<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

2018 Arts Competition Award Winners: The Tempest<\/h3>\n
First Place: Adrianna Burton for her poem, “LatinX” \"Photo<\/div>\n

She is utterly alone and
\nshe is all her people.
\nHer people,
\ncheated
\ntrafficked
\nkilled
\nabhorred monsters<\/p>\n

She is her grandmother at 43
\nThe day they all remember, 1980
\nthe symbol of equality and humanity shot down in His home
\nHer people screaming and hiding and running and fighting
\nAnother Napoleon taking power;
\na different Napole\u00f3n echoing false hope for democracy<\/p>\n

She is her mother at 16
\nin the back of a van
\nscared and wide-eyed as they pass golden poppy fields
\n-blinding coins, blond hair, the burning sun
\nculture tainted by a deep golden ichor-
\nhappy to adapt and learn the ways of the white man<\/p>\n

\u2018Ban
\n\u2018Ban
\nIm
\n-Immigrant ban<\/p>\n

She is brown and white and new and next
\nAnd with confusing mestizo-ness
\nShe is X<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

Second Place: Peter McEldowney for his painting, Ariel<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Ariel<\/a>
Copyright Peter McEldowney<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Third Place: Thu-An Hanley for her digital illustration, Mine Own King<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Caliban<\/a>
Copyright Thu-An J. Hanley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
\n
\"Spring
Come to the Humanities Core Arts Gala April 5, 2018, 4-6pm in HG 1030.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\"2018<\/a><\/p>\n

Students are invited to submit a work of art in any medium that responds to the theme \u201cTempest.\u201d Students are encouraged to interpret this theme broadly (e.g., submissions may respond to Shakespeare\u2019s play <\/span>The Tempest<\/span><\/i>, revisions of Shakespeare\u2019s play, cultural representations of other tempests, environmental issues related to empire, etc.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Submission Guidelines: <\/span><\/p>\n

Submit no more than one entry to the Humanities Core office, HIB 185, before noon, March 9<\/span>, 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recorded performances–drama, dance, film, music–should not exceed 10 minutes and should be submitted electronically.<\/span><\/p>\n

All other works should be easily transportable.<\/span><\/p>\n

All entries should be submitted with the submission form.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2017 Arts Competition Award Winners: The Art of Empire<\/i><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
First Place: Shawn Rosario for her painting\u00a0The Concealed<\/i><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\"The<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Second place: Cindy Ung for her poem “Spinning Wheels”<\/div>\n
\n
\n

I lie here thinking I can sleep
\nfor the rest of my life
\nAlthough I’m not too sure my shirts will be happy about that
\nThey are lonely and the closet is too small for them
\nTheir sleeves cramp from being folded too long
\nand they are starting to smell funny
\nA sort of mustiness and dandruff
\nthat is enough to make the saris cough<\/p>\n

Threads unraveling,
\ndust filling moth holes to make up for this mess
\nIt’s about time they get some sunlight
\nBut the girl who wore them decided
\nthat the closed life suits her
\nSo after years of stains, spills, and knots
\nshe succumbs into the dark with them<\/p>\n

And yet<\/p>\n

There are days when the smoke stitches a flame
\ninto my fingers,
\nWhen the fiends who call themselves rulers
\nslap the needles out of my hand
\nThese pants,
\nthey are too big for our homes
\nLet us rest something lighter on our shoulders
\nOnly fire may free us from scars so white
\nwhere even enemies are branded upon Indian arms
\nWe are tired, we are lonely,
\nOur spines cramp from bending over heaps too long
\nAnd this stench of death,
\nit is licking its way through combustion<\/p>\n

So for now, I will spin a song of free breath, of free spirit
\nand our cotton nights will be pulled into sparks<\/p>\n

Yes, I lie here thinking I can sleep
\nfor the rest of my life
\nAlthough I\u2019m not too sure I could rest
\nUnder these burning skies tonight<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Third place: Adrianna Van Wonterghem for her painting\u00a0Faceless Identity<\/i><\/div>\n
\u00a0\"Faceless<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Honorable mention: Sarah Gonzalez for her musical composition Aere Perennius<\/i><\/div>\n