Meet the Jury

We are honored to welcome esteemed professionals to our jury panel and express our sincere gratitude for their unwavering dedication to the design community. Their involvement not only elevates the credibility of our evaluation process but also provides an exceptional platform for emerging designers to gain recognition and exposure.

The jury panel includes jury members from prestigious competitions, such as the One Show Award, One Asia Award, and the London International Award (LIA). We deeply appreciate their invaluable contributions, as they shape the future of design with their discerning perspectives and extensive expertise. Their wealth of experience and visionary insights will undoubtedly enhance the Cross Connections 2024 competition, inspiring participants to pursue design excellence and push the boundaries of innovation.

Judging Criteria for Cross Connections 2024

To showcase the broad and evolving discourse of visual communication design, UTRGV invites professionals to serve as judges for the Cross Connections 2024 International Exhibition and Competition of Designs. Submissions from participating institutions were evaluated on the following criteria:

Conceptual Strength
Evaluates the originality, inventiveness, and creativity of the concept underlying the artwork.
Technical Excellence
Assesses the effective use of chosen media, as well as the skill and craftsmanship demonstrated in the artwork's execution.
Design and Compositional Proficiency
Examines the exhibitor's understanding and application of design and compositional strategies to effectively convey the intended message.
Overall Impact
Measures the ability to captivate and engage viewers, effectively communicate the intended message, and leave a lasting impression.

Scoring Rubric:

Each criterion will be scored on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 represents the highest level of achievement.

Jury Deliberation Process

The jury deliberation process involves multiple review stages and blind assessments to ensure fairness and integrity. Below is an overview:

Call for Entries
An open call is announced, inviting artists and designers to submit their work.
Submission Period
Entries were accepted until December 18, 2023, for design works created in 2022 or 2023.
Entry Review
Expert jurors reviewed submissions anonymously, without knowledge of the entrants’ identities.
Initial Screening
The jury verifies that entries meet the competition’s criteria and guidelines. Non-compliant entries are disqualified.
Evaluation and Scoring
Entries are scored based on the predetermined criteria. From this process, 100 print-based works and 74 screen-based works were selected for the international exhibition.
Further Review for Award Winners
The jury engages in detailed discussions of shortlisted entries, examining their merits and fit within the competition’s theme.
Announcement
Selected entries and winners were unveiled by UTRGV, BMFA, and IMAS during:
- Closing Reception: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley @ Visual Art Gallery, March 21, 2024
- Opening Reception: Brownsville Museum of Fine Art, April 9, 2024
- Exhibition Opening: International Museum of Art & Science, May 31, 2024

Additionally, the results have been shared on the official Cross Connections 2024 event website and communicated through global exhibition coordinators representing each participating institution.