During an open submission period that closes on March 24, 2026, students are asked to submit one original work of art that demonstrates their artistry (does not have to be specifically related to Pride). Those submissions will be reviewed by a selection committee who will invite up to five students to take part in focus-group meetings regarding the SDCCD’s LGBTQIA+ community and this year’s San Diego Pride Parade theme before they are asked to come up with a t-shirt design specific for this year's Pride Parade event.
To participate in the contest, students are asked to review and acknowledge the below details and rules before submitting their original artwork piece here. Students who do not agree to the contest rules will not be eligible to participate.
If you have questions about the contest, please email [email protected]
Important Dates
Interest Form Due: March 24, 2026
Exploration Session*: April 8, 2026
*Designers who are selected for the first round of the competition will be asked to attend this session.
Final T-shirt Design Due**: April 21, 2026
**Designers who are selected for the first round of the competition will be asked to submit a final design.
Design Voting: April 22, 2026 – April 29, 2026
Winner Announced: Mid- to late-May, 2026
T-shirt contest submission form2026 SDCCD San Diego Pride t-shirt Contest Details and Rules
The San Diego Community College District is seeking current students to participate in designing our t-shirt for the annual San Diego Pride Parade.
Round #1: Submission of an Original Design for Consideration for Participation
1. Individual students/or a team of students may submit one pre-existing design of their choice (does not have to be in relation to Pride) as an original logo or design piece to showcase their abilities to be considered for the t-shirt design process for the 2026 San Diego Community College District Pride Parade contingent. (Submissions open until March 24, 2026)
a. One pre-existing original logo or design piece insights
i. Please send artwork as a .pdf or .jpg
ii: All participants must affirm that the design is their original work and not copied.
iii. Do not copy from other designs, including clipart or other downloadable images.
No AI systems may be used to generate your image.
2. The San Diego Pride Planning team will select up to 5 submissions to participate in the final design process. Individual submissions/chosen groups will be awarded for participating in and completing the second round of the design process.
3. Students should be enrolled in courses at San Diego City, Mesa, Miramar, and/or Continuing Education colleges for the spring 2026 semester during time of this competition.
Round #2. Design Process for Selection Designers/Teams
1. Award for designers/teams
a. The designer/design teams selected to move forward in Round #2 in the design process will receive a participation award of a $100 gift card (if to a team, the $100 gift card is to be divided as the team chooses) at the end of the design process.
i. The designer/design teams must complete the design process and attend all mandatory meetings to receive a participation award of $100.
b. The winning designer/design teams will receive an additional award of a $300 gift card (if to a team, the $300 gift card is to be divided as the team chooses).
2. Designers/teams will meet virtually at 2 p.m. on April 8, 2026, with a focus group of students and staff of the San Diego Community College District to discuss what they would like to see in a t-shirt to be worn by the SDCCD contingent at the 2026 San Diego Pride Parade.
3. With the information gathered from the focus group, designers/teams will develop one t-shirt design to be submitted by April 21, 2026, for voting, which will be selected to be work by the San Diego Pride, SDCCD Parade contingent.
a. Presentation for designs
b. Microsoft form for voting for SDCCD community voting (April 22-29, 2026)
4. Shirt Design Guidelines
a. Intellectual property
i. All participants must affirm that the design is their original work and not copied.
ii. AI created designs submissions are not allowed.
iii. The winning design will become the sole property of the SDCCD San Diego Pride Planning Committee and will be used for t-shirts, posters, website, etc.
b. Final Submission Requirements:
i. Logo submissions should be formatted as digital vector artwork (.eps or .pdf).
ii. Include a brief explanation of the concept behind the design.
iii. Design Guidelines:
1. Color limit: 1 to 4 colors in design
2. Use solid colors, no shading or gradients
3. Do not use or reference copyrighted images
4. Shirt color recommendations can also be included with the submission
iv. The design area should only use the area designated below on the FRONT of the t-shirt. The BACK of the shirt has been designated for SDCCD District and College logos.
5. Selection of winning designer/design team
a. Designers/design teams will submit one t-shirt design, as digital artwork, for the final voting process by April 21, 2026.
b. A digital voting ballot will be created and distributed to all SDCCD District stakeholders.
c. The designer with the most votes will be selected as the winner of the design contest and announced in late May.
T-shirt contest submission form