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Apply Now: 2025 Sadat Arts for Justice and Peace Competition

Awards offered to students for visual art, poetry and music.

The Sadat Arts for Justice and Peace Competition.

We are now accepting original student works for 2025 Sadat Arts for Justice and Peace Competition. Students are invited to submit pieces based on the following quote:

 

The fight for social justice is the fight for climate justice. We can’t have one without the other.

Greta Thunberg
Greta Thunberg

ABOUT THE COMPETITION

Each year, students are invited to create art  on a theme of peace & reconciliation. Co-sponsored by The Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace & Development and Arts for All, this event fosters collaboration across the Colleges of Behavioral & Social Sciences and Arts & Humanities, showcasing the talent of students from art, music, and writing programs. Award categories include poetry, music composition, chamber music ensemble and visual art.


Sadat Art for Justice and Peace Competition

VISUAL ART
  • Must be an undergraduate or graduate student that is a declared Studio Arts or Immersive Media Design major OR currently enrolled in a Department of Arts course.
  • Any visual art medium, 2D or 3D.
  • Installation of work will be between March 3-7, 2025.
  • All pieces will be displayed at the Herman Maril Art Gallery between March 10-28, 2025.

First Place artwork will be kept and added to the Sadat Art for Justice and Peace Permanent Collection. The Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland will have the right to keep and display the artwork as well as reproduce the art and images of the art, with credit given to the artist. The artist shall also retain the rights to use and reproduce the artwork. Past artwork has been awarded to Sadat Lecturers at UMD including Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson, and others.

  • Intent to Submit Artwork submissions should be made via this Google Form by Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at 4:30 p.m.
  • The artist's statement and a photo of the artwork must be submitted via this Google Form by Monday, March 3, 2025 at 4:30 p.m.
  • All works submitted must be ready for installation. It is not necessary that pieces be framed but they must be ready for display. For example, paintings should be wired in the reverse of the stretcher frame, allowing them to be hung from picture hooks.
  • The artist is responsible for transporting the artwork to the Herman Maril Gallery at the designated drop-off time and, if the piece is not selected for first place, collecting the piece from the gallery after the Sadat Art for Justice and Peace Exhibition.
  • Please drop off the artwork at the Herman Maril Art Gallery on Friday, February 28 between 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. or Monday, March 3 between 10 a.m.-11 a.m.

Cash Prizes:

  • 1st Place Prize of $2,500 
  • 2nd Place Prize of $1,000
  • 3rd Place Prize of $750
  • Honorable Mention Prize of $250

Winners Luncheon:

  • Winners will be recognized at a luncheon on Friday, April 11 from 12-1 p.m.

Sadat Poetry for Justice and Peace Competition

POETRY

Students must either be a declared English major (undergraduate or graduate, including MFAs, MAs and PhDs), a declared Creative Writing minor; be currently enrolled in an English Department creative writing class or a current member of the Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House. 

Students should submit a single unpublished poem that responds to the theme as expressed in the above quote. The poem should not be longer than two pages.

Winners will be added to the Sadat Poetry for Justice and Peace Permanent Collection. The Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development and the University of Maryland will have the right to display and reproduce the poem, with credit given to the writer. The Writer shall also retain ownership and rights to use and reproduce the poem. Past competition-winners in the art prize have been awarded to Sadat Lecturers at UMD including Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson, and others. 

  • Submissions should be made via this Google Form.
  • Submissions should not include the student’s name within the document or in the document name; submissions with identifying information will be disqualified.
  • Poems in other languages are welcome if they are accompanied by an English translation. 
  • All submissions must be the student’s original work and previously unpublished. 
  • Materials should be submitted as PDF.
  • Complete submissions by Friday, February 21, 2025 at 5 p.m. via the provided Google Form.
  • Questions can be sent to arts@umd.edu.

Cash Prizes:

  • 1st Place Prize of $1,250.00
  • 2nd Place Prize of $750.00

Winners Luncheon:

  • Winners will be recognized and read their poem at a luncheon on Friday, April 11 from 12-1 p.m.

Sadat Music for Justice and Peace Competition

MUSIC COMPOSITION

Must be an undergraduate and graduate student currently enrolled in a degree program in the UMD School of Music.

This award is for a composer of a composition written for 2-6 musicians that addresses the year’s given theme. Submission of a complete score is required. A MIDI or acoustic recording is highly recommended, though not required. A statement (one double-spaced page, maximum) describing how the submission addresses the year’s given theme is required. The composition should be no more than 8 minutes and ideally 3-5 minutes in length. Consultation with your private teacher is required.

Recordings of the winners will be added to the Sadat Music for Justice and Peace Permanent Collection. The Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development and the University of Maryland will have the right to continue to utilize the recordings, with credit given to the students. Recordings will be featured on the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development and Arts for All websites.  For the composition category, the composer shall retain ownership and rights to use and reproduce the composition and recording.  Composers are asked to acknowledge the Sadat Music for Justice and Peace Prize in future performances and publications. 

Recordings of the winners will be added to the Sadat Music for Justice and Peace Permanent Collection. The Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development and the University of Maryland will have the right to continue to utilize the recordings, with credit given to the students. Recordings will be featured on the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development and Arts for All websites.  For the composition category, the composer shall retain ownership and rights to use and reproduce the composition and recording.  Composers are asked to acknowledge the Sadat Music for Justice and Peace Prize in future performances and publications. 

Cash Prizes:

  • 1st Place Prize of $1,250.00

Winners Luncheon:

  • Winners will be recognized and perform their work at a luncheon on Friday, April 11 from 12-1 p.m.
CHAMBER MUSIC ENSEMBLE

Must be an undergraduate and graduate student currently enrolled in a degree program in the UMD School of Music.

This award is for a performance of an existing composition written for 2-6 musicians that addresses the year’s given theme. An audio recording is required. A statement (one double-spaced page, maximum) describing how the submission addresses the year’s given theme is required. The composition should be no more than 8 minutes and ideally 3-5 minutes in length. Consultation with a studio teacher or chamber music coach is required.

Recordings of the winners will be added to the Sadat Music for Justice and Peace Permanent Collection. The Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development and the University of Maryland will have the right to continue to utilize the recordings, with credit given to the students. Recordings will be featured on the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development and Arts for All websites.  For the composition category, the composer shall retain ownership and rights to use and reproduce the composition and recording.  Composers are asked to acknowledge the Sadat Music for Justice and Peace Prize in future performances and publications. 

Recordings of the winners will be added to the Sadat Music for Justice and Peace Permanent Collection. The Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development and the University of Maryland will have the right to continue to utilize the recordings, with credit given to the students. Recordings will be featured on the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development and Arts for All websites.  For the composition category, the composer shall retain ownership and rights to use and reproduce the composition and recording.  Composers are asked to acknowledge the Sadat Music for Justice and Peace Prize in future performances and publications. 

Cash Prizes:

  • 1st Place Prize of $1,250.00
  • 2nd Place Prize of $750.00

Winners Luncheon:

  • Winners will be recognized and perform their work at a luncheon on Friday, April 11 from 12-1 p.m.

 

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