“There will not be a magic day when we wake up and it’s now okay to express ourselves publicly. We make that day by doing things publicly until it’s simply the way things are.”
-- Senator Tammy Baldwin
Creative expression reflects and contains the power to transform ourselves and our world. That expression allows us not only to tell our own stories, but to access the experiences of others across boundaries of race, culture, religion, gender, ability, and sexual orientation and identity. If we remain open, creative work can create more just and equitable communities through encouraging pride, understanding, and empathy. In other words, sharing ourselves through creative work creates that “magic day.”
As part of LGBTQIA+ History Month, the University of Pittsburgh Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Pitt’s Center for Creativity invite all members of the Pitt and regional communities to submit their creative work to Magic: The Art of Pride. We’re interested in work that engages creatively with the history of the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly work that celebrates the creator’s own sense of identity.
Deadline for submissions is midnight (Pittsburgh time) on November 1, 2022.
Work will be displayed in the virtual Showcase gallery, and on University web and social media channels, with artist attribution.
In addition, creators interested in having their work displayed in C4C: The Understory during November are invited to drop off the physical iteration of their digitally submitted work at the Text & conText Lab on the third floor of Hillman Library (M-F, 10am – 6pm), where they will be asked to sign a release form. (All work must be submitted in a digital form for the virtual showcase by 11/1/22; not all work needs to be shared in its physical form.) Physical creative objects should be dropped off by 6 PM on Friday, October 28th.
All entries are eligible for the award distinctions outlined below. Awardees will be announced on November 9, 2022.
Awards categories:
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Writing for the page
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Visual art (2D, 3D, photography)
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Performance (video, music, slam)
Awards amounts:
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Three awards (one per genre category) @ $250 each
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NOTE: all submissions are automatically entered into the University’s annual Art of Diversity showcase, where they are eligible for further award distinctions.