Future Designer Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by CardsDirect
Introduction
CardsDirect seeks fresh holiday artwork that connects with our customers. Through our Future Designer Scholarship, we invite student artists to submit designs for a new holiday card. The winning designer will receive a $1,000 scholarship to the accredited post‑secondary school of their choice and will have their artwork produced and sold on CardsDirect.com. Applicants must be at least 17 years old and either currently enrolled in or already accepted to a post‑secondary institution. Limit of one entry per person.
What to submit
Provide the following information with your entry:
- Full name (first and last)
- Date of birth
- Phone number
- Name of the post‑secondary institution you are enrolled in or accepted to
- Official artwork file
Important dates and process
- Entry deadline: May 1, 2026.
- CardsDirect will select five finalists from the submissions and notify them that their designs are going to the public vote.
- Public voting window: May 8–15, 2026 (voting hosted through a CardsDirect form).
- After public voting, the top‑voted design will undergo final verification by CardsDirect’s internal panel.
- Winner notification: May 18, 2026.
Accepted artwork and technical requirements
- Acceptable formats: original 2‑D artwork (oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor, pencil, mixed media), photography, or digital/computer graphics.
- Digital submission: submit artwork as a JPEG (.jpg) file by uploading through the entry form or by email to the address specified on the entry page.
- If submitting physical original work, provide a high‑quality scan or a digital photograph of the piece.
- Image quality: minimum 300 dpi; maximum file size 5 MB.
Theme suggestions
We are expanding our holiday card selection for December holidays and seasonal greetings. Consider subjects such as:
- Winter and mountain landscapes
- Festive still lifes (ornaments, wreaths, seasonal decor)
- Animals or wildlife in snowy settings
- Santa or holiday character portraits
Use your creativity to interpret holiday and seasonal themes in an original way.
Eligibility
This program is open only to U.S. residents who:
- Are aged 17 or older (age and identity verification may be requested).
- Are either (a) full‑time students enrolled in a post‑secondary institution (including community colleges and vocational schools), or (b) accepted to such an institution and planning to begin attendance within the next calendar year.
Excluded from participation are: employees, agents, independent dealers, contractors and affiliates of CardsDirect, as well as the immediate family members of any such persons.
Judging and voting
- An internal CardsDirect judging panel will review all submissions and select the top five finalists.
- Finalists’ designs will be posted for public voting via a CardsDirect form. Voters must sign in with a Google account; votes are anonymous and limited to one vote per person. Automated or third‑party voting software is not allowed and will result in disqualification.
- The design receiving the most public votes will then be reviewed and confirmed by CardsDirect’s internal panel before a winner is chosen.
- Entries will be judged on: (1) overall aesthetic appeal, creativity, and originality; (2) quality of execution; and (3) versatility and suitability for use as a greeting card.
Prize details and payment
- The selected winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship disbursed as a check made payable to the post‑secondary institution listed on the winner’s entry.
- The retail value of the prize is $1,000. Odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries received.
- The winner is responsible for any applicable taxes or fees.
- CardsDirect’s decisions regarding this giveaway are final and binding. If the winner does not attend an eligible post‑secondary institution as represented, the prize may be forfeited.
Good luck, and thank you for helping us create a memorable holiday card collection.