Grand Valley State University’s parking permit design competition, Art2Park, will be accepting student submissions from Feb. 25 through March 1. The student whose submission receives the most votes in the final round will have their design displayed on the 2013-2014 university parking permits, with an added bonus of a free parking permit for the entire year.

Though 2013-2014 permit prices have yet to be determined, this year’s parking permit rates totaled at $340 for both fall and winter semesters.

This year, Art2Park is open to all majors, a decision made by program coordinators following low participation in last year’s competition, when only art and communications majors were eligible to enter.

“We’re looking for a variety of different folks to come up with something,” said Capt. Brandon DeHaan, assistant director of the Grand Valley Police Department. “Again, this is something that will be displayed all next year.”

The competition is headed up by Lisa Garringer, parking systems coordinator for the university, with help from GVSU hospitality major and new Art2Park intern Claire Marchesano, who said the competition offers students a chance to see how they measure up against other GVSU artists, as well as help them develop professionally.

“I think it’s a great way to see where (students) stand against other students and build their portfolio,” she said.

All currently enrolled GVSU students in good academic standing are eligible for entry, and limited to one design submission that must include a brief personal biography limited to 1,000 characters.

“We’re offering them the opportunity to have their work on every vehicle on campus,” DeHaan said.

With around 15,000 registered parking permits between GVSU’s campuses, the medium covers a lot of square footage.

The deadline for submissions in March 1, after which Marchesano will double-check each entry to make sure it fits design requirements before posting them online for public vote. Voting will open up to any students, faculty or staff members with a valid GVSU email on March 11 and run through March 22.

During the first round of voting, voters will be asked to select their top three, and from those results, narrowed down to a top 10.

Marchesano said the voting process for Art2Park was modeled after Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize competition, the winner of which is decided through a series of public votes.

Voting for the top 10 Art2Park submissions will be open March 25 through March 29, and the winner will be announced by April 1.

“Just the fact that Grand Valley is a university for students, and why not have as many components to the school made by students as possible?” Marchesano said.

To submit a piece of artwork to the Art2Park competition, or for more specifics on design criteria, requirements and eligibility, visit gvsu.edu/gvpd/art2park.

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