Calling all photographers, artists, and graphic designers!

Media Arts Center San Diego's 34th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival (March 17-21, 2027) Poster Competition is now open for submissions. Submit an iconic design that captures the essence of our annual celebration of Latinx film, music, and art. The winning artwork will become the “face” of the festival, appearing in print, web, and on-screen materials.

Submit Here:
https://filmfreeway.com/SDLFF34PosterContest

Who can participate?

This is a worldwide competition open to all individuals and design firms.

Selection Process

A panel of distinguished judges (composed of artists, graphic designers, marketing professionals and art educators) will select the winning poster according to the following criteria:

Depicts the power & importance of amplifying Latinx film, video, voices & stories during this time of uncertainty and change
Unique, positive, and non-stereotypical representation of Latinx Culture
Celebrate our immigrant community
Clarity and originality of message
Impact, memorability, and appeal to general audiences
Versatility for application on various mediums (web banners, postcards, etc)
Design (type, color, composition, craft)

PLEASE NOTE: NO graphics, images, poster artwork using AI (Artificial intelligence) will be accepted. A.I. entries will be immediately disqualified.

Awards & Prizes

Prizes

Top Prize: $1,500.00 dollars and promotional exposure in ALL festival related marketing materials

10 Finalists - FILM PASS (11 tickets) to the 34th San Diego Latino Film Festival & promotional exposure at poster announcement event and during the 5-day film festival.

Rules & Terms


Deadline

Artwork must be submitted by October 1, 2026. The winners will be announced during our Poster Announcement Party in November 2026 (location TBA).

Specifications

Artwork must be submitted in: JPEG, 18″ wide x 24″high, 72 DPI (RGB), max. 4 MB (via FilmFreeway)

Top 10 Finalists are required to submit artwork in vector format, 300 DPI (CMYK).

Design must state: 34th San Diego Latino Film Festival
Design must include the festival dates: March 17-21, 2027

Only original artwork will be accepted. Copyrighted characters, images or clip art will not be accepted. NO AI.

A brief description of artwork, artist’s name & nationality are required

Guidelines
Please review the guidelines below very carefully. Failure to adhere to any of stipulations made below may disqualify your submission.

Computer graphics, as well as paintings, may be used to compose the design.
Poster design must be digitally submitted via links below:

FilmFreeway:
File must be named in the following manner: firstlastnamesdlff2027posterentry

Your poster design will be judged according to the following criteria:

1. Unique, positive, and non-stereotypical representation of Latinx Culture:
- Important: Your artwork must be WITHOUT generalizations about the Latinx culture. This includes but is not limited to: stereotypical imagery, icons specific to one country, and uninspired stock visuals.

- Icons that may NOT be represented in the design include: chiles, nachos, skulls, papel picado, piñatas, cactuses, sombreros, mariachi, tacos, etc.

2. Clarity and originality of message:
- Our judges will be looking for innovative and creative designs that illustrate San Diego Latino Film Festival’s tradition, as well as its forward-thinking and inclusive values.

3. Impact, memorability, and appeal to general audiences:
- Poster design must appeal to general audiences & corporate Sponsors (ALL age groups & gender identities).
- Design must NOT include: nudity, weapons, offensive and racist imagery, and derogatory text. We expect artists to exercise their best judgment in making creative decisions.

4. Design (type, color, composition, craft):
-Illustrations and/or paintings encouraged.
-A more illustrative look, focusing on people & community; slice of life
- Colorful designs are preferred

5. Versatility for application on other media:
- Your poster design must be functional - Your design will be edited & used in advertisements, catalogue, website and other marketing materials.

6. NO graphics, images, posters using AI (Artificial intelligence) will be accepted. AI entries will be immediately disqualified.

7. Depicts the power & importance of amplifying Latinx film, video, voices & stories during this time of uncertainty and change

KEYWORDS TO GUIDE YOUR DESIGN:
San Diego - Baja California Region
Latinx culture & movements, movies, art, history
Celebration of our culture/traditions, our people, our communities, our day-to-day lives.
Passion, identity, family, home, memories, inviting, warm, joyful, connection
Modern, innovative, inclusive
Honoring Latinx films, filmmakers and actors

Disclaimer

*** Media Arts Center San Diego’s San Diego Latino Film Festival shall have an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, royalty-free, worldwide license to alter, use, edit, copy, exhibit, publicly display and distribute their submitted entry for any activity, reproduce and distribute to third parties that are associated or sponsored activities.

Artists will retain all rights to their original posters art.

Poster designer authorizes Media Arts Center San Diego to use ALL and ANY of the components of winning artwork (i.e. SDLFF will sometimes edit/cut and use certain images/elements of winning poster for different flyers, applications, websites, marketing materials, etc.).

By submitting a poster design to the San Diego Latino Film Festival, artist agrees that artwork is original to the designer. Failure to adhere to any of stipulations made above may disqualify your submission.

For more information visit: http://sdlatinofilm.com, diana@mediaartscenter.org, or call 619-230-1938 x 101.