Missing Chicago?

Tell us all about it!

Submission Links

Chi-town Haiku Contest

bit.ly/chicago-studies-haiku

Blues for Chicago Photo Contest

bit.ly/chicago-studies-photo-contest

During the Spring 2020 term, when we're all thinking about Chicago (whether we're sheltering here or elsewhere), Chicago Studies wants to hear what's on your mind!  Beginning week 1, and continuing through the Spring Quarter, we are hosting a series of contests to encourage members of the College community to share their thoughts about Chicago.  What are you thinking about?  What are you missing?  What are you looking forward to, whenever things "return to normal" in the wake of our current public health crisis?

Details on current and upcoming contests are below!  Winners will be featured on this page and on Chicago Studies' social media.

 

Blues for Chicago

Photo Contest (April 20-May 14)

#NamethatNeighborhood

Daily mini-challenges (May 4-10)

Notecard Novellas

Big ideas, tiny package (May 11-28)

Contest Details

    Haiku is a Japanese poetry form consisting of three lines of five, seven, and five syllables.  (See our headliner image for a great example!)  Traditional haiku evoke images of the natural world, but your submission may interpret the form more broadly.

    We will accept submissions through Thursday, April 23.  You may submit as many poems as you'd like.  Our winner will receive a $25 gift card to Seminary Co-op Bookstore* and a copy of Chicago poet Kevin Coval's A People's History of Chicago (2017).  We'll publish the winning poem as well as some of our other favorites, both on this page and on our social media!

         *In lieu of gift card, we are happy to make a donation to the South Side Emergency Fund in your name.

    Submit your poetry here:  bit.ly/chicago-studies-haiku

    Got the Spring-Quarter-not-in-Chicago (or -stuck-in-Chicago) Blues?  Show us what it feels like!

    Submit a photo of your favorite Chicago memory, or a picture of something in your current location (it can be the Windy City or your hometown!) that reminds you of what you miss about (pre-pandemic) Chicago. In honor of Earth Day (4/22), our “Blues for Chicago” photo contest is also going green: we will select two winners, one that features the BUILT ENVIRONMENT and one that features the NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

    Each photo must also include a <100 word caption about the Chicago subject, place, or memory that you photo is evoking.

    We will accept photo submissions through Thursday, May 14.  You may submit as many photos as you'd like.  Our TWO winners will each receive a $25 gift card to Seminary Co-op Bookstore.*  Our BUILT ENVIRONMENT winner will also receive a copy of Lee Bey's Southern Exposure:  The Overlooked Architecture of Chicago's South Side (2020); our NATURAL ENVIRONMENT winner will receive Robert Shaw & Jason Lindsey's Windy City Wild (2000).  We'll publish the winning photos as well as some of our other favorites, both on this page and on our social media!

         *In lieu of gift card, we are happy to make a donation to the South Side Emergency Fund in your name.

    Submit your photos here:  bit.ly/chicago-studies-photo-contest

    From May 4th through May 10th, Chicago Studies will post a daily #NameThatNeighborhood challenge in honor of the international Jane’s Walks festival, which celebrates the legendary urbanist Jane Jacobs.  Jacobs' work encourages us to confront Chicago’s troubled urban planning legacy and reimagine our city to become more healthy, vibrant, and just.

    The first person to #NameThatNeighborhood each day will have $10 donated to the South Side Emergency Fund in their name, and will receive appropriate adulation on this page and on our social media.

    "Make no little plans" - Daniel Burnham, designer of the Chicago City Plan of 1909.

    In our ultimate creative challenge, we invite you to submit an original Chicago-themed story, poem, graphic novel, architectural design, or mixed media masterpiece...that fits on a standard 3" x 5" notecard.  Submissions may be generated digitally or composed by hand, but must be submitted as a 3" x 5" image file.  Submissions are due by 11:59 PM on Thursday, May 28th.

    We will choose three winners in this contest.  Each will receive a $25 Seminary Co-op gift card* and a 3-pack of Field Notes Chicago notebooks!  Winners will be published on this site and via our social media.

         *In lieu of gift card, we are happy to make a donation to the South Side Emergency Fund in your name.