EmpowerHER outdoor artwork competition

We are looking for proposals for a work celebrating the work of Loughborough Sport’s EmpowerHER project. The winner will receive £500 and have their work installed on the exterior wall of the Sir John Beckwith Centre for Sport in celebration of International Women’s Day 2026. Two runners-up will receive £100.  
 
The competition is open to all students, and we welcome entries in any style and any two-dimensional form: drawing, text, painting, photography, collage, or anything else! 

Background

EmpowerHER at Loughborough University was launched by Loughborough Sport in 2024 with one clear goal: to inspire and uplift women and non-binary staff and students through sport, physical activity, and wellbeing. 
 
By 2025, it had grown into something bigger than a campaign, with the aim of creating a lasting impact within the Loughborough community and beyond. In 2025, EmpowerHER brought together 473 participants through a wide variety of events. One of the standout moments was the sold-out Girls Night In, delivered in collaboration with student societies and LSU, featuring everything from candle painting and salsa classes to Bom Bom cookie-making. 
 
Throughout the week, the team behind the project ran over 15 sport and physical activity sessions, including an AU Cricket “Come and Try” and an energetic UV Zumba class.

Staying true to our inclusive mission, we also built lasting partnerships, such as a beginner-friendly Hyrox session at Powerbase and a networking event for female officials, which went beyond sport and helped create a strong sense of belonging, connection, and community. 
 
At the core of EmpowerHER is a commitment to creating something that lasts. As part of this legacy, we invite students to design a piece of outdoor artwork that celebrates the incredible women and non-binary individuals at Loughborough. This aligns with the University’s strategic focus on Sport, Health, and Wellbeing. 

What can I win?

• First prize: £500 and have your design produced and installed
• Two runners-up: £100

The two runners up will have their designs displayed at the reveal networking and celebration event taking place on the evening of 9 March 2026 - details TBC.

Timescales

• Deadline for applications: 9am - 6 January 2026
• Second submission for three shortlisted candidates: 9am - 9 February 2026
• Final installation on 9 March 2026

The winning artwork will be selected by a judging panel that will include representatives from Loughborough Sport and Loughborough University. 

If you have any queries about the competition, please email Frankie Suckling directly.

How do I enter?

Please submit your preliminary artwork via the online form after reading the brief provided below.

At this stage, your entry should be an outline of your intended artwork rather than a fully polished artwork. You may choose to submit a work in black and white, but provide details of the colour palette you would use. The winner will then be asked to work their design up before it is turned into artwork. This may require resizing the design and could also involve incorporating feedback from the judging panel.  
 
You must have permission to use any text or images you have not created from the rights holder.  Any use of AI must be acknowledged and contextualised when asked to explain the concept behind your design on the entry form. 

You must read the full design brief and supporting information below before entering the competition.

The brief

Artwork vision:

We’re looking for a piece that captures the breadth of opportunity available through EmpowerHER - whether that’s joining a sport session as a complete beginner, developing confidence through leadership programmes, or becoming part of a supportive network like the Women in Sport mentoring scheme. 
 
Your work should: 

• Celebrate diversity of experience and opportunity.
• Encourage connection, allyship, and shared ownership from both the university and wider community.
• Reflect movement, energy, and empowerment in a way that feels welcoming and inclusive.

Creative guidelines: 

• We welcome all artistic styles and mediums, including mural-style illustrations, text-based designs, photography, mixed media, digital work, and more.
• Submissions don’t need to be final pieces. Drafts, concept sketches, or mock-ups are accepted, but must include: 
  Clear annotations and descriptions 
  Colour palettes, if relevant 
  A short explanation of your concept
• Final artwork must fit within maximum dimensions of 4m x 2m, but can be smaller. Please specify the intended size of your design. 

Voices that inspired the movement: 

This mural should capture what EmpowerHER is about and the sessions that were held. Below, you’ll find a collection of powerful quotes and campaign images to help inspire. 

Location

The final work will be installed on the exterior wall of the Sir John Beckwith building, facing Clyde Williams and Shirley Pearce Square.

It will be printed onto aluminium dibond: the same material as used for Kelsey Bebbington’s Loughborough is All of Us (under the Sir David Davies bridge on University Road) and Jasia Pang’s Sustainability Mural (on the side of the Schofield Building, facing University Road).  
 
It is intended that the artwork will remain in situ for a minimum of five years. 

Who can enter?

This competition is open to men, women, and non-binary students (UG, PGT and PGR), including Loughborough London students. It does not matter what course or subject you are studying.

We are committed to inclusivity and representing the student community we serve. We welcome applications from students of all backgrounds.

Accessibility

We want this opportunity to be accessible to all students. If you would like to discuss any accessibility requirements in advance of applying or to discuss how the opportunity can be made inclusive for you, then please email David Bell directly.