University of Kentucky Recycling, UK Dining and The Food Connection are partnering to host a competition for undergraduate, graduate and professional students. The winner will be commissioned to create a portable art installation showcasing the lifecycle of UK’s local food sourcing efforts and on-campus composting system.
The partners are seeking student submissions that highlight sustainable food systems and UK's local partnerships. The goal of the initiative is to showcase the local sourcing efforts and the lifecycle of food at UK while highlighting student-made art.
The competition is made possible by The Food Connection’s Student Opportunity Grant and the hard work of undergraduate senior Holly Cason, a senior dual majoring in environmental and sustainability studies and natural resources and environmental science.
“Before working with UK Recycling, I was unaware of UK’s efforts towards creating a collaborative and sustainable food system,” Cason said. “Learning more about these processes through my position sparked an interest inhighlighting the role of the students and the efforts of the partners who make these processes possible.”
Prizes will be offered to the top three submissions. The first-place winner of the competition will also have the opportunity to transform their design into a large-scale installation. The call for submissions opened Feb. 27 and will continue through March 31. The final art piece will be completed and installed before the fall semester. The installation will be designed to be portable and to showcase at food focused events around campus.
“Since it’s portable, it will be relevant at events like Wildcat Market. It provides the student body several opportunities to engage with the work at popular events on campus, bringing high visibility to the creative efforts of the winning artist,” Cason said. “I want students to have the opportunity to learn more about sustainability efforts on campus and feel like they are part of them — because they are. I have loved getting to work with so many stakeholders and am excited to see what students submit.”
Find more information on the art competition.
The competition is made possible by the hard work of undergraduate senior Holly Cason, dual major in environmental and sustainability studies and natural resources and environmental science.
Katelin Ralenkotter