Student Spaces for Art and Collaboration
The Student Spaces for Art and Collaboration encompass Columbia College Chicago's student centers dedicated to student professional practice and creativity. An extension of the studios and classrooms, the department fosters vibrant environments for students to interact, exchange ideas and view and showcase bodies of work within the larger urban community. The spaces provide students from every discipline myriad opportunities to gain essential, hands-on experience, stimulating artistic expression and professional development through collaboration.
Please REVIEW each category thoroughly to make sure you are submitting your proposal to the correct opportunity.
Hokin Gallery
Show your work!
Any questions you have can be directed to Senior Exhibitions Coordinator Mark Porter (mporter@colum.edu) or 312-369-6643
ShopColumbia
Sell Your Work!
ShopColumbia at Averill and Bernard Leviton Gallery serves the Columbia College Chicago community by fostering the representation and sale of professional work and talent from multiple creative fields. As an extension of the classroom, the Shop supports students by providing a professional environment to hone the process of presenting, marketing, and selling work to the public. Through community partnerships, ancillary programming and representation of alumni, faculty and staff, ShopColumbia bridges professional practice with the student learning experience.
Final decisions for consignment will be made by ShopColumbia's review board. The Board is looking for originality, quality craftsmanship and cohesiveness. Students earn 75% of every sale. Alumni, faculty and staff earn 50%. You can submit to ShopColumbia’s General Consignment during one of our three submission periods or to any of our Spotlight Exhibitions + Calls for Work posted throughout the year!
Fall Consignment: September 1 – December 31
- Open Submission + Artist Meetings with Shop Staff: August 23, 2026 – September 23, 2026
- Feedback from Review Board by the first week of October.
Spring Consignment: January 1 – August 31
- Open Submission + Artist Meetings with Shop Staff: December 13, 2026 – January 31, 2027
- Feedback from Review Board by the second week of February.
Spring /Summer Consignment: January 1 – August 31
- Open Submission + Artist Meetings with Shop Staff: May 1 - 30, 2027
- Feedback from Review Board by the first week of June.
Annual Spotlight Exhibitions + Calls for Work
- Dark Market
- Winter Holiday Market
- MINI MINI: A Showcase of Miniature Works
- Manifest Grad Showcases
For all calls and submissions, ShopColumbia restricts the sale of the following products as deemed by the Review Board:
- Due to safety concerns and legal requirements for candle makers and candle sellers, ShopColumbia is no longer accepting submissions of candles.
- Food items or perishable products
- Products with text or images that infringe on any intellectual property rights including, but not limited to copyrights, trademarks, and rights of privacy/publicity
- Businesses with multi-tiered sales structures
- Items that are unsafe or contain hazardous materials
- Products with content that is libelous or defamatory; contain or promote hate speech; can reasonably be viewed as harassing, threatening, or otherwise harmful; and can reasonably be viewed as discriminatory based upon race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability
- Products that violates any federal, state, county or municipal law, ordinance or regulation, violates any college policy, regulation or rule as outlined in the Student Handbook and Columbia's Student Code of Conduct
- Per Academic Affairs and the Office of the Provost: Columbia College Chicago Faculty are unable to sell self-published materials
- Due to the regulations that govern student employment for international students on a student visa, we are unable to accept items for sale from F-1 and J-1 students unless they are on approved pre or post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT). Please contact isss@colum.edu if you need further clarification on the regulations that govern international student employment.Please direct any questions to shop@colum.edu or (312) 369-8616
Makerspace
Join a community of makers!
Please direct any questions regarding Makerspace opportunities to: makerspace@colum.edu.
ShopColumbia is seeking an original illustration, design, or photograph for the signature image of ShopColumbia's Annual Dark Market.
The signature image will be used as a printed tabloid size poster, handbills, social media, and front window display.
Details:
- Currently enrolled students or recent alumni are eligible to submit.
- A completed design should be submitted.
- Artist is responsible for the primary imagery only. Informational text about the event (dates, website, address, etc...) will be added by ShopColumbia staff.
- Artist may submit multiple submissions for consideration.
- Preferred size format is tabloid 11" x 17" but image should be able to be scaled larger for the front window display.
- Deadline: September 13, 2026
- Selected artist will receive a $300 licensing fee for the use of the image.
Student Spaces for Art and Collaboration is partnering with the Center for Student Success to bring art to the newly renovated space at 33 E Ida B. Wells.
- Submitted images can include but not limited to: fine art or commercial photography, photographs of fine art of all mediums, classical or digital illustration, graphic design compositions incorporated images and/or text., film and animation stills.
- Submissions can represent all artistic themes and subject matter; however priority will be given to works that capture the Columbia student experience or represent hope, resilience or the spirit of "success".
- Selected images will be printed at the Digital Print Center (DPC) on phototext and installed by SSAC staff.
- Images submitted can be sized 1:1 ratio (square) OR 1:2 ratio (vertical or portrait orientation). Images should be 300 dpi for 48" x 48" or 40" x 80". Final print size may be slightly larger or smaller depending on installation location.
- Artists selected will receive a stipend for their artwork.
- Artwork will be unveiled for the grand Opening: September 22, 2026.
Questions? contact Ronda Payne, Director of Student Spaces for Art and Collaboration, rpayne@colum.edu
Student Spaces for Art and Collaboration is partnering with the Center for Student Success to bring art into the newly renovated space at 33 E Ida B. Wells. A prominent architectural feature inside the Center for Student Success, is a glass-enclosed conference room that viewed when entering the space. The Center for Student Success is seeking installation proposals of student/alumni artwork that can be installed on the glass window using transparent or semi-translucent vinyl.
- Window dimensions are: 155" x 97". The proposal should consider the entire window space but does not need to completely fill the space.
- Submissions can represent all artistic themes and subject matter; however priority will be given to works that capture the Columbia student experience or represent hope, resilience or the spirit of "success".
- Proposals should include the finish image as well as a mockup of how the image would appear on the window.
- Artists selected will receive a stipend for their artwork.
- Anticipated unveiling of the artwork will be at the grand opening of the Center for Student Success : September 22, 2026.
- Due to the artwork being visible from both sides of the glass, it is recommended to not include text elements.
Questions? contact Ronda Payne, Director of Student Spaces for Art and Collaboration, rpayne@colum.edu
Call For Work: Halloween-themed work for Dark Market!
ShopColumbia is hosting the Dark Market, a spooky collection of works by Columbia artists with an emphasis on the macabre. The Dark Market will feature all things spooky and magical with mediums including art prints, zines, books, stickers, jewelry, art objects, soft sculpture and more! The Dark Market should delight anyone who loves Halloween or hand made, one of a kind artwork.
Make sure to join us for the spooky festivities!
Details:
- One-of-a-kind or multiples are encouraged.
- All work must be available for purchase.
- Students earn 75% of every sale. Alumni, Staff and Faculty earn 50%.
Market Dates: October 5 - November 6, 2026
Submission Deadline: September 20, 2026, 11:59pm
Artwork Drop-off Deadline: September 28, 2026, 4pm
ShopColumbia is seeking an original illustration, design, or photograph for the signature image of ShopColumbia's 18th Annual Winter Holiday Market.
The signature image will be used as a printed tabloid size poster, handbills, social media, and front window display.
Details:
- Only currently enrolled or students who will be enrolled during the fall 2026 term are eligible to submit.
- A completed design should be submitted and adhere to this year's THEME: Glitter / Disco / Sparkle Winter
- Artist is responsible for the primary imagery only. Informational text about the event (dates, website, address, etc...) will be added by ShopColumbia staff.
- Artist may submit multiple submissions for consideration.
- Preferred size format is tabloid 11" x 17" but image should be able to be scaled larger for the front window display
- Color palette should be inclusive of all winter holidays and should not be predominantly red and green.
- Deadline: October 4, 2026
- Selected artist will receive a $300 licensing fee for the use of the image
Examples of previous designs below:
Sell with ShopColumbia this holiday season!
ShopColumbia is accepting submissions of the best Columbia created designs and products for the winter holidays for ShopColumbia's 18th Annual Holiday Market, December 1 - 18, 2026!
ShopColumbia is seeking the following, but not limited to: framed and unframed photography, prints, and paintings; mixed media sculpture, housewares, ceramics, fashion apparel and accessories; jewelry, enamel pins, patches, postcards, greeting cards, notebooks, blank books, artist books, zines, comics, novels, CDs, and holiday merchandise.
Eligibility: All currently enrolled Columbia College students, alumni, staff or faculty will be considered. Students earn 75% of sales and alumni, staff and faculty earn 50%.
Submission Deadline: November 4, 2026
Inventory Deadline: November 12, 2026
Final Inventory Deadline: November 19, 2026
Additional Details:
- Artists should have adequate inventory for the duration of a month-long market. Artist are able to and encouraged to replenish stock throughout the market.
- Artists are encouraged to brand products or include business cards with products.
ShopColumbia is inviting Columbia College Chicago Academic Departments, Student Affairs, and Campus Events to partner with the store for their fundraising efforts. ShopColumbia will facilitate all sales in store and on our webstore.
Prior to submitting, please read the ShopColumbia Partnership Proposal Guide.
ShopColumbia is inviting Columbia College Chicago student organizations to partner with the store for their fundraising efforts. ShopColumbia will facilitate all sales in store and on our webstore.
Prior to submitting, please read the ShopColumbia + SOC Fundraising Guide
Please note: ShopColumbia is fully booked for Spring 2026. We are currently accepting proposals for the Fall 2026 semester. Events should be submitted 3-6 months in advance in order to establish procedures with partners and to allocate campus resources.