DemFest Poster Exhibits
Context
In the healthiest democracies, citizenship is a taken-for-granted, lifelong habit. That is, people are engaged peaceably in civic (community) or political (government) life on a routine basis — daily, weekly and/or monthly — not just when elections happen every one or more years. Young people are the future of any democracy, so if citizenship should be a lifelong habit, it’s best to start those habits early. Research shows that if people are not engaged in civic and/or political projects from a young age, they are less likely to be engaged when they are adults. Civic and political projects and programs involving youth are thus vital to democracy.
For the above reasons, Learning Life invites DC area of any age to submit their democracy-related research or action projects for poster exhibition at the first DMV Democracy Festival. DemFest will be held on Saturday, October 26, at 1:00-6:00pm at Friendship Collegiate Academy, 4095 Minnesota Ave NE in DC, across the street from the Minnesota Avenue Metro Train Station on the Orange Line. Please mark your calendar now!
Criteria for Applicants and Their Posters
All residents living within one hour’s drive of Washington, DC, are eligible to apply / submit a poster.
One poster submission per person, or per group/team of up to three poster presenters.
Posters must be democracy-related. “Democracy-related” is defined broadly here to include projects about past or present, local to global government or people’s action concerning issues of public concern (civil rights and/or responsibilities, elections, use or abuse of power, violence, citizen engagement, poverty, discrimination, climate change, etc.).
Posters must be about democracy-related action or research projects that the presenters undertook or are undertaking. Thus, projects or programs completed or ongoing are both acceptable. Projects and programs that are innovative, completed, and/or ongoing yet showing significant research or impact results are preferred. Examples of “democracy-related” projects or programs include voter or election registration, education or mobilization; student government; news media; issue education or advocacy campaigns (gun violence, discrimination, inequality, climate change, protecting or advancing freedoms, etc.).
Projects and programs can involve students, families and/or community members at school, neighborhood, city, county, state, country or international levels.
Presenters are encouraged to include a mix of text, photos, charts and/or graphics to make their posters more eye-appealing. Civic or political action posters should clearly describe the project or program’s purpose, activities, any impact /results observed in quantitative (numbers) and/or qualitative (brief stories, quotes, photos, drawings, etc.) ways, and conclusions/reflections, including any further action planned or recommended. Civic or political research posters should clearly describe the research purpose, question or hypothesis, the method(s) pursued, the results, and conclusions/reflections, including any further research planned or recommended.
Posters can be 24 to 36 inches wide, 36 to 48 inches long/tall, and should be printed or glued on a stiff, foam white or black board.
Click here for the criteria / rubrics judges will use to score the posters for awards. More about the awards below.
The Exhibits
There will be one or more poster exhibits at DemFest, depending on the number and kind of qualified submissions. Presenters will display their posters at one, one-hour exhibit between 1 and 5pm (DemFest organizers will email you your exhibit time), and will also have the choice to display their poster at the culminating celebration at 5 to 6pm. Each exhibit will feature up to 12 posters, and will occur in a classroom at Friendship Collegiate Academy. Any given poster can be by one or more authors, but given classroom space constraints a maximum of three presenters can stand by any one poster.
Learning Life will provide easels on which to stand the posters. Approved presenters / exhibitors must print and bring their own poster.
During their one-hour exhibit, exhibitors will stand at their respective poster and engage DemFest attendees about their poster, answering questions, discussing, and networking. Presentors do not need to be standing beside their poster during DemFest’s culminating celebration if they choose to display their poster at the celebration, but Learning Life is not responsible for any poster that is stolen.
Please reserve 1:00-6:00pm, including the culminating party at 5:00-6:00pm, where best posters exhibit certificates and cash awards will be announced and handed out.
Poster Awards
If Learning Life approves at least twelve research and/or action posters for exhibit at DemFest, there will be certificates and cash prizes of $150, $100 and $50 for first, second and third place finishers. The poster awards and certificates will be announced and handed out at DemFest’s culminating party between 5 and 6pm on October 26.
Submission Process
When you are ready, apply and submit your poster here.
Poster submissions are accepted until 11:59pm on Sunday, October 6, 2024. Acceptance decisions will be emailed to all applicants by midnight, Sunday, October 13.
All applicants accepted as DemFest poster exhibitors must pay their own DemFest entry ticket either in advance ($3 for youth 17 and under, $5 for adults 18 and over), or at the door ($5 for youth, $7 for adults). Friendship Public Charter School students are exempted / get free entry. All proceeds support DemFest and the larger DMV Democracy Learning Community.