Lunar Arts Award

The Lunar Arts Award celebrates the moon’s enduring influence on artistic expression, inviting University of New Mexico students to explore its rich symbolism across all mediums.

Open to both graduate and undergraduate students, this award provides three selected artists with a $750 stipend and $250 in material support to bring their lunar-themed projects to life. Co-sponsored by ARTSLab and the Sustainable Space Research Grand Challenge, submissions will be judged on originality, feasibility, cross-disciplinary appeal, and the strength of the artist’s statement.

Special consideration will be given to projects that bridge art and science, sparking dialogue between the two fields. This award aims to showcase diverse interpretations of the moon and inspire collaboration within the UNM artistic and scientific communities.

We received an overwhelming response, with 53 applications – far more than we anticipated. The selection process was incredibly competitive, showcasing the remarkable creativity and talent of the University of New Mexico’s student artists.

Thanks to the generous support of the Sustainable Space Research Grand Challenge team, who provided an additional $2,000 in funding, we were able to select 5 winning proposals instead of the originally planned 3. We are excited to see these innovative lunar-themed projects come to life and look forward to their group exhibition at the end of the semester: