Each year, graduate and undergraduate students display their design work at the annual SETC Convention, get critiqued, meet professional designers, network, and compete to win cash and awards! Winners of the competition receive cash, product or experience awards (depending on the competition), a certificate of achievement, and recognition in SETC News.
In order to participate in the 2023 SETC Design Competition, students are required to complete convention registration and select Design Competition as an activity by December 15, 2022. Your school must also be a current organizational member of SETC. Once you have registered for convention, you will receive an email with further information and instructions about how to submit your entry information.
For Graduate and Undergraduate Students
Entrants have a chance to be critiqued by Distinguished Career Designers — modern masters of design with national and international reputations. The experts use an open, one-on-one critique format to offer invaluable learning for all in attendance.
When are my materials due?
Entry information must be completed by December 15, 2022. Please email Design Committee Chair Emily Schafer (emailyschafer@sjrstate.edu) and Lee Crouse (lee@setc.org) with questions.
What happens next?
Upon completing registration, candidates will receive a link to complete their competition information.
Guidelines by Area (click any design area to view guidelines)
2023 TENTATIVE Schedule
Thursday, December 15, 2022
11:59PM – Convention & design competition registration must be completed. This coincides with the early bird registration deadline.
Thursday, March 2, 2023
9:00AM – 10:30AM
Register student applicants, receive designs, display set-up
10:30AM – 11:00AM
Room closes for final set-up and prescreening
11:00AM – 6:00PM
Design Adjudicator’s walk-thru – closed to convention participants
6:00PM – 8:00PM
Design Competition open to all convention attendees
Friday, March 11, 2022
Juried responses are offered by the 2020 Distinguished Costume, Lighting, Scenic and Sound Designers.
Schedule subject to minor changes based on entries.
8:30AM – 8:00PM
Exhibit open, Exhibit Hall
8:30AM – 11:30AM
Juried Undergraduate Student Responses, Exhibit Hall Floor, Conv Center
8:30AM – 9:30AM
Set
8:30AM
Sound and Projections pick up work to bring to response room (TBD)
9:30AM – 10:30AM
Costumes
10:30AM – 11:30AM
Lights
9:00AM – 10:00AM
Sound (Room TBD)
10:00AM – 11:00AM
Projections (Room TBD)
10:30AM – 11:30AM
Technical Direction Exhibit Hall
11:30PM – 1:00PM
Lunch
1:00PM – 2:30PM
Properties, Costume Crafts, Costume Technology Responses, Exhibit Hall
2:30PM – 5:30PM
Juried Graduate Student Responses, Exhibit Hall Response Space, Convention Center
2:30PM – 3:30PM
Lights
3:30PM – 4:30PM
Set
4:30PM – 5:30PM
Costumes
5:30PM – 7:30PM
Secondary Response Sessions
Responses to designs are offered by Design Faculty from SETC member schools, and Industry Professionals, Exhibit Hall, Convention Center
7:00PM – 9:00PM
Designers’ Shared Keynote & Discussion
Ballroom TBD, Convention Center
Adjudication selections and Ready to Design posted during Keynote
Saturday, March 12, 2022
9:00AM – 10:30AM
Design Awards Ceremony
TBD, Conv Center
9:00AM – 12:00PM
Exhibit open: View the Design Competition and check out the winners.
The convention continues with the light lab, programming, presentations
and festival productions. Exhibit Hall
9:00AM – 10:15AM
Design/Tech Committee Business Meeting, Convention Center – TBD
12:00PM-1:00PM
Strike of Design Competitions
Awards
All awards are combined into graduate and undergraduate except Costume Design, Lighting Design, and Scenic Design, which feature both Graduate and Undergraduate winners.
1st Place – $125
2nd Place – $75
3rd Place – $50