About the Contest
The Jurgen Banned Art Comics Contest is an annual VCU student competition dedicated to telling the story of banned art and encouraging discussion of the complex relationship between art and society. The contest and cash prizes are sponsored by VCU Libraries and supported by the generosity of donors, including The James Branch Cabell Library Associates.
To learn more about submitting to the contest, join an upcoming information session held via Zoom on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. Registration is required to attend.
Challenge Prompt
Design a comic book cover based on a real historical moment when visual art, books, music, film, or performance was censored, banned, or restricted from being seen or shared.
Your comic book cover should draw the audience in, tell a story, and express your personal style.
For historical censorship examples and other resources on comic arts, visit our Jurgen Banned Art Comics Contest guide.
Contest Guidelines
- There is a limit of one entry per student. Students must be enrolled at the time of submission.
- Entries must be unpublished at the time of submission.
- VCU students are welcome to collaborate on a single entry. All collaborators must be listed on the submission form. If selected as a winner, any prize money will be shared equally among all collaborators.
- Entries, including artwork and artist statement, must be created entirely by the artist(s). The use of generative AI to generate or manipulate artwork and/or statements is not permitted.
- Entries from previous years that were not awarded a prize or honorable mention may be updated and resubmitted.
- Entries must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM on February 5, 2027.
- Artists will retain copyright to their submissions, and by entering the contest, artists grant a non-exclusive license to VCU Libraries for digital and physical publication, display, and reproduction for noncommercial purposes.
Prizes & Recognition
- Grand Prize for Best Overall Submission: $1,000 and print and digital publication
- Excellence in Artistry Award: $250 and print and digital publication
- Excellence in Storytelling Award: $250 and print and digital publication
- Excellence in Research Award: $250 and print and digital publication
- Opportunity to participate and present a research poster based on your submission at the Undergraduate Poster Symposium
Winners and honorable mentions will be published in VCU Libraries’ institutional repository, Scholars Compass, and will include the artist statements. All entries are eligible for honorable mention consideration and digital publication. Entrants may only receive one prize per contest.
View Past Contest Winners
Required Artwork Specifications
- Portrait-format; CMYK color mode; Final raster resolution: 600 ppi
- READ CAREFULLY: Final trim size and document size including bleed are different. The final trim size is 6.69 in. wide x 10.25 in. high. Your submission must include 0.125-inch of bleed on all four sides, making the total submitted artwork size 6.94 in. x 10.5 in. See program-specific resources below for how to set up bleed.
- Extend all backgrounds, colors, and artwork intended to reach the edge of the finished cover through the bleed area. Keep text and other important design elements inside the trim line so they are not cut off during print production.
- Include “© Your Name, Jurgen Comics Contest, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2027” at the bottom of the completed cover, inside the trim line.
- Submit your final artwork as a PDF. Include document bleed but do not include crop or trim marks.
- The use of generative AI tools is not permitted.
- For information on designing with bleed, please visit the following program-specific resources:
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Photoshop and Procreate: These programs do not have the same document-level bleed tools as Illustrator or InDesign. If you are using these programs, create your artwork at the full size including bleed: 6.94 in. wide x 10.5 in. high at 600 ppi. The finished trim size will be 6.69 x 10.25 in. Backgrounds and artwork should extend all the way to the edge of the canvas, while text and other important elements should remain safely inside the trim area. Once your artwork is complete, place it into an Illustrator or InDesign document set to 6.69 x 10.25 in. with 0.125 in. bleed on all four sides. Export the final print-ready PDF with the document bleed included but without crop or trim marks.
Required Written Submission Guidelines
Submit a brief artist statement that includes:
- A short synopsis of the story told in your imagined comic
- The historical research that informed your work, including the sources you consulted and how your research influenced your creative decisions
- What inspired you about the historical event you selected
- A brief description of your creative process
- The tools and/or software you used to create your artwork
With your artist statement, also include:
- A transcription of all text appearing on your comic book cover for accessibility
Judging
Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of judges using the following criteria. Winners will be notified in March 2027.
- Originality: Thoughtfully engages with topics of censorship or suppression and responds originally to the contest prompt.
- Historical Understanding and Research: Demonstrates a meaningful understanding of the referenced historical event and articulates how research informed the work.
- Storytelling: Suggests a compelling larger story through effective use of mood, character, or conflict.
- Visual Communication and Composition: Utilizes composition, color, contrast, scale, imagery, typography, and other visual elements to communicate concept and engage the viewer.
- Craft and Technique: Demonstrates care and technical skill and intentional and purposeful use of chosen medium and tools.
- Comic Book Innovation: Makes creative use of the conventional comic book cover traditions and format.
- Statement Strength: Clearly expresses the referenced historical event, describes research methods and creative process, identifies sources, and provides meaningful context.
- Overall Impact: Combines concept, research, artwork, storytelling, and statement to form a cohesive and memorable piece.
Our panel of judges may include representatives from:
- Professional comic or graphic arts
- VCU Libraries
- The Cabell Associates
- VCU students
- VCU faculty
- Jurgen Comics Contest alumni
Questions about the contest? Email VCU Libraries at LibJurgen@vcu.edu