CTF 2026 T-Shirt Design Contest
Design the Future. Wear the Mission.
Crafting the Future is looking for an original t-shirt design to feature in our shop. The winning artist earns a $1,000 design prize, and every shirt sold funds opportunities for artists of color.
Submissions open Nov. 11 | Public vote Dec. 3 – Dec. 10 | Winner announced Dec. 11
Your Art. Our Mission. One Shirt.
Creative talent is universal. Opportunity is not. That's why Crafting the Future connects artists of color to scholarships, residencies, grants and a community that opens doors.
This t-shirt design contest puts an artist's vision at the center of that work. The winning design will be printed and sold in the CTF shop, and every purchase helps fund our mission to provide artists of color access to transformative opportunities to thrive in their craft.
And because we believe artists should be paid for their work, this contest pays a real design fee. Not just exposure or a free shirt. Real money.
Prizes
Three artists will receive payment for their work.
Winning Design
- Design fee, your design printed and sold in the CTF shop, artist credit on the product page, and a feature across CTF's channels.
Honorable Mention
- Honorarium and a feature across CTF's social channels. You keep full rights to your design.
How It Works
- Create. Design an original t-shirt graphic inspired by the CTF mission.
- Submit. Upload your design through our online form from November 11 through December 1. One entry per artist.
- Rally. If you're selected as a finalist, we'll send you a ready-made social media toolkit with templates featuring your design. Share it with your followers, friends and community to earn votes from December 3 to December 10.
- Win. The design with the most votes wins $1,000 and a spot in the CTF shop. We'll announce the winner on December 11.
Design Guidelines
We want work that feels like you: bold, personal and rooted in your practice. Painting, illustration, fiber, ceramics, glass, lettering, collage: if it can live on a shirt, bring it.
Submission specs:
- Original artwork created by you. No copyrighted characters, logos or AI-generated imagery.
- Front-of-shirt design, up to three colors for screen printing.
- File: PNG or PDF, at least 300 dpi, transparent background. Vector files (AI, SVG, EPS) welcome.
- Include a short artist statement (100 words max) about your design.
- Optional: a mockup showing your design on a shirt.
- A CTF logo will be provided in the submission form, but it is not required for it to be used in the design.
Official Rules
You keep your rights. If your design doesn't win, it stays 100% yours. Crafting the Future gets no rights to it, and you're free to sell, show or reuse it however you like. We may display finalist designs during the public vote and announcement only, with your name credited.
Only the winner grants usage rights. The winning artist grants Crafting the Future an exclusive license to reproduce the design on CTF merchandise and related promotional materials. The artist keeps copyright and is credited on every product page. In exchange, the winner receives a $1,000 design fee.
Fair pay for fair work. The winner receives $1,000. Two honorable mentions receive $250 each. Payments are submitted within 1 day of the announcement. The winner must complete a W-9; prizes of $600 or more are reported to the IRS.
Who can enter. US-based artists of color, 18 and older. CTF staff, board members and their immediate families are not eligible.
Entries. One original design per artist, submitted by 11:59 p.m. PT on December 1, 2026. No entry fee and no purchase necessary. Designs must be your own work and must not infringe on anyone else's rights.
How judging works. CTF reviews all entries and selects finalists based on originality, craft and connection to the theme. Finalists advance to a public vote from December 3 to December 10. The design with the most votes wins. The 2nd- and 3rd-highest vote-getters receive honorable mentions.
Voting. One vote per person. CTF reserves the right to remove votes that appear fraudulent or automated, and to disqualify entries tied to vote manipulation.
Announcement. The winner and honorable mentions will be notified by email and announced publicly on December 11, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it cost anything to enter? No. Entry is free.
Do I need to be a professional designer? Not at all. Emerging and established artists working in any medium are welcome.
What happens to my design if I don't win? It's still yours, fully. We only receive usage rights to the winning design.
How do I get votes? Artists receive a social media toolkit with ready-to-post templates featuring their design. Share it on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, by text, email, anywhere your people are.
Can my friends vote more than once? No. It's one vote per person, so reach as many people as you can.
When will I get paid? CTF will issue all payments within 1 day of the December 8 announcement, once we receive your payment details through Zelle.
When can I buy the shirt? The winning design will be available in the CTF shop starting in late 2026.
Questions not answered here? Email us at info@craftingthefuture.org.
Questions?
For questions about the design contest, rules, or prizes, email info@craftingthefuture.org
More Ways to Support the Mission
Give Today: Make a direct gift today to fund even more scholarships and programs, removing barriers to access for artists of color
Become a CTF Futurist: Want to make an even bigger impact? Give a monthly gift to receive exclusive benefits and join a network of supporters directly connected to our mission