Vanguard Showcase

Background

The Vanguard Showcase is a juried showcase of Phoenix College’s best student artwork. It is also an opportunity for student artists to practice submitting and exhibiting their artwork. Selected artwork will be exhibited in the Eric Fischl Gallery.

Eligibility and cost

If you are a current Phoenix College student or were enrolled at Phoenix College in the Fall 2024 semester, then you can submit artwork to the exhibition. Your artwork must have been completed within the current academic school year (24/25) and never before submitted for the Vanguard Showcase. Submission is free. ⭐In regards to the Vanguard Award, only students without a bachelor's or higher degree in fine arts are eligible for the Vanguard Award. Also, past recipients of the Vanguard Award are ineligible to apply and once again receive the Vanguard Award. 

Categories and awards

You can submit artwork in the following categories:

• Two-dimensional media including drawing, painting, printmaking, and mixed-media
• Three-dimensional media including ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, and mixed-media
• Photography including black and white, digital, color, hand-painted, and alternative and/or manipulated photographic images
• Media arts including graphic design, illustration, web design, animation, and comic and sequential art

In addition to the Eric Fischl Vanguard Award described below, local jurors will award first, second, and third place in each category.

Eric Fischl Vanguard Award

The Eric Fischl Vanguard Award is a $2,500 best in show prize juried by artist Eric Fischl and his guest. The Eric Fischl Vanguard Award winners’ artworks (along with all 1st, 2nd, 3rd place winners) are displayed in the Phoenix Art Museum’s Great Hall during the annual Fischl Lecture on Wednesday, April 2 beginning at 5:30pm. The Eric Fischl Vanguard Awards will also be presented to the Eric Fischl Vanguard Award winners at this time.

Submission, Artwork Preparations, and Drop-off instructions

• Submit Google Form Link for Google Form: https://forms.gle/ZrRvshLMrZgpgqSC9
• When submitting through the link only one form is required for all entries. IMPORTANT: Please keep the digital receipt of your submission. This form will be necessary for retrieval of artworks, along with photo ID. 
• 🛑 ALL work must be brought to the Eric Fischl Gallery, second floor of the Art Building, Wednesday-Friday, March 26-28 from 10:00am to 6:00pm.
• You can also fill out the necessary paperwork in the gallery when you drop off your work.
• You can submit up to three artworks. 
• Make sure your two-dimensional artwork and photography are completely dry, matted, and framed with secure hanging wire or hanging tab on the back of the frame. You can submit artwork on canvas board or stretched canvas without a frame if your artwork has hanging wire or a hanging tab on the back. 

Notification, Exhibition and artwork pick-up times

    You will receive an email notification on April 1st about the status of each artwork submitted. 

Vanguard Award winners will be notified by email and phone on April 1st. 

Artwork not selected: PLEASE PICK it up at the Eric Fischl Gallery on Thursday, April 3 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm or Friday, April 4, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, or make an appointment to pick it up. 

    Selected artwork: will be exhibited in the Eric Fischl Gallery from April 7 to May 1, 2025. An opening reception will be held on Monday, April 7, 5:30-8 p.m. (gallery closed until 5:30 p.m.)

Pick up artwork: after close of exhibition: artwork will be available for pick-up on Monday-Thursday, May 5-8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Eric Fischl Gallery.⚡Artwork not claimed after May 9, 2025 or for which pick up arrangements have not been made will be disposed of or become the property of PC Art Dept. ⚡

Liability and responsibility

💥The Eric Fischl Art Gallery will exercise care in the handling of your artwork, but the gallery does not have insurance for loss, theft, or damage of the artworks in the exhibition. If you want insurance, you must make your own arrangements for it. 

Contact 

If you have questions, Tiffany Bailey will be happy to help you! Contact her at tiffany.bailey@phoenixcollege.edu or 602-285-7283.