Sunday, October 25, 2026 · 6:30 am – 11:59 pm
What it is Articulate is a national, online poster design competition organised by D-LAB, the design community at IISER Berhampur, in collaboration with the art clubs of other Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs). It invites graphic designers, illustrators, visual thinkers, and creative students from across India to interrogate the everyday through the medium of design.
The theme: The Things We Don't Question We move through daily life governed by unexamined habits, systemic norms, invisible social defaults, and unquestioned cultural agreements. Articulate asks participants to take one such assumption, belief, behaviour, practice, or system and make the familiar feel unfamiliar - a poster that makes viewers pause, reflect, and ask critical questions about realities they usually take for granted. The artboard is treated as an analytical instrument: surface hidden paradoxes, challenge accepted defaults, and build visual metaphors that prompt reconsideration.
Scope and ethical standards
Deliverables
Social engagement requirement Participants must follow @design_iiserbpr on Instagram, post the finalised poster as a collaborator post with @design_iiserbpr, include the concept rationale in the caption or post, and tag @design_iiserbpr, @artsclub.iiserk, and @artclub_iisertirupati. Collaboration acceptance and tagging of all partner accounts are compulsory for jury review.
Prizes A total prize pool of ₹7,500 (with Amazon gift vouchers and certificates): Winner ₹3,000, First Runner-Up ₹2,000, Second Runner-Up ₹1,000, three Special Mentions of ₹500 each, plus Category Awards with recognition certificates. All winners and special mentions receive Merit Certificates; all eligible entrants receive Certificates of Participation.
Originality and governance Participants retain full copyright and grant organisers a non-exclusive licence for non-commercial exhibition and archival use. AI-generated artwork and plagiarism are strictly prohibited; third-party assets must be royalty-free, licensed, or credited. The committee may request raw project files or time-lapse recordings to verify authenticity. Non-compliance results in disqualification without refund, and jury decisions are final.
Who it's for Designers, illustrators, visual artists, and creative students across India interested in critical, socially engaged graphic design. Team size is one participant per entry.