Theme
The theme for the LAND Conference as well as the Fine Arts Competition is “At the Precipice.”

We purposely keep the conference theme broad to invite a range of interpretation across Liberal Arts disciplines. We were motivated to select this year’s theme from suggestions like taking risks, leaving the safe zone, navigating, embracing change, the diaspora, pivots, compromises, possibilities, momentum, ingenuity, resistance, adaptation, and confluence. All of these, especially when considered in the context of current cultural forces and the social-political climate, can fit within the theme AT THE PRECIPICE.

[Note: The theme for the 2020 Fine Art Competition will be “Successful Failures.” Submissions for that contest will open January 2020.]

Specifications
The theme can be expressed in either Fiction or Non-fiction/documentary. All films submitted for jurying must be the student’s original work. Copies of other artists’ work are not acceptable. The LAND Composition Committee retains the right to remove any work deemed not original, is purposely offensive content or discriminatory towards a population, or that does not meet the stated specifications.

Fiction: Expresses an interpretation of the conference theme and is no longer than 20 minutes.

Non-Fiction/Documentary: Topic relates to the conference theme in some way and is no longer than 20 minutes.

The work must entered in a digital form that can be presented at the LAND conference.

Duration may not exceed 20 minutes.

All entries are submitted through this link: [Coming soon]

Deadline
The deadline for the 2019 competition is midnight, Friday, December 13, 2019. Any student enrolled during the 2019 calendar year is eligible to enter works.

Display of Art Submissions
Work entered into the contest must be available for presentation.

Judging
Entries will be juried by an art professional to determine prize winners.

Criteria
Entries will be evaluated for originality, creativity, and quality of the concept of how effectively the idea relates to the theme. Design and craftsmanship will also be a part of the decision. Films conceptually/visually inspired by other works are welcome, however, works that are replications/copies of an original are not eligible for entry and will not be accepted.

The LAND Competition Committee retains the right to reject or remove any work deemed not original or that does not meet the specifications above.

Awards & Prizes

$150 for First Place
$100 for Second Place
$50 for Third Place

Rules & Terms

Eligibility
The LAND Film Competition is open to any student enrolled in a credit class at a public Michigan two-year college during the 2019 calendar year.

Each entry must be sponsored by a faculty member (full-time or adjunct) who has reviewed the student’s work and attests that it is appropriate for the contest criteria and competitive rigor at the state level.

Note: This competition is designed to highlight the artwork of our community college level students, in their first years of college education in the visual arts. Therefore, students with extensive film experience, such as a professional, years of making/presenting their films, past film education or degrees, or faculty taking film courses are not eligible to enter.

Criteria
Entries will be evaluated for originality, creativity, and quality of the concept of how effectively the idea relates to the theme. Design and craftsmanship will also be a part of the decision. Films conceptually/visually inspired by other works are welcome, however, works that are replications/copies of an original are not eligible for entry and will not be accepted.

The LAND Competition Committee retains the right to reject or remove any work deemed not original or that does not meet the specifications above.

Copyright
Students retain the copyright to their submissions to the LAND Film/Documentary Competition. However, students grant LAND the right to reproduce any submission, in full, clips, and/or stills, on its website or any other LAND publication regardless of medium of publication.

Artist/Designer Release
By submission of artwork, the student artist grants permission to LAND to reproduce (without further remuneration) any selected film/documentary. The student also attests to the originality of the work submitted.