Illinois State Image of Research 2027: Campus Students Enter Visual Work by 6 November 2026
Illinois State University's Office of Student Research has opened entries for the eighth annual Image of Research Competition. Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at Illinois State can submit one static image showing research, innovation or creative inquiry, supported by a short abstract. The competition bridges visual presentation and scholarship; it is open to campus students rather than artists from any university around the world.
Deadline, exhibition and awards
Applications opened on 5 October 2026 and close on Friday 6 November 2026. The eighth annual Image of Research exhibition is scheduled for Thursday 11 February 2027 at Illinois State's University Galleries, with a reception from 4pm to 6pm and public voting for People's Choice. The published awards for both graduate and undergraduate divisions are US$200 for first place, US$150 for second, US$50 for honorable mentions and US$100 for People's Choice.
What type of artwork is eligible?
Each student submits a single static image of their research or creative inquiry along with a short abstract explaining how the visual relates to the project. This may be relevant to digitally produced imagery and research-based visual communication, but a video, interactive web artwork or time-based film is not itself a static image. The institution's Guidelines and FAQs, linked from the official competition page, set the exact file, abstract, rights and submission standards.
Selection and presentation
Professional artists and creative practitioners assess visual impact, originality and the connection between image, text and the represented inquiry. Selected finalists have their images enlarged for display at University Galleries. Their work also becomes part of an online exhibition through the university's Milner Library and its institutional repository, ISU ReD.
About the organising institutions
The University of Illinois State's Office of Student Research operates the competition jointly with Milner Library and University Galleries. The official page archives previous years' finalists and documents both graduate and undergraduate awards, providing an identifiable history of the programme. The 2027 exhibition is described as its eighth annual edition. It is separate from a general public arts prize.
Entry and primary verification
Use the 2027 'Submit Application' link on the Illinois State Office of Student Research page. Review the linked Guidelines and FAQs before uploading, especially student status, format and abstract requirements. The organiser lists contact people Dr. Ashley Waring-Sparks and Lynne Higgins at their Illinois State University email accounts. Receipt of an entry does not guarantee selection or exhibition.
This article provides a summary. To avoid misunderstandings, please be sure to check the official page for full details.
Information checked: 19 October 2026.
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