Diversity Lives Here: Roots & Routes

This exhibition asks artists to reflect on immigration and the experience of establishing roots in a new place while highlighting the journey itself. The theme "Roots & Routes" explores how communities are shaped by the movement of people, cultures, and stories, emphasizing that immigrants bring new perspectives, traditions, and strengths that enrich their new homes. Immigration represents not only physical passage but also journeys of identity, resilience, and belonging.

Monmouth University is committed to creating inclusive spaces that represent all community members, with dedicated spaces across campus to display jury-selected artwork. Student artists from all backgrounds are encouraged to submit work reflecting on identity, diversity, representation, inclusion, power, and equity, or work highlighting historical figures who fought for space to share their ideas. The exhibition will be installed across Monmouth University in Spring 2026 and run through Spring 2026.

All work must be submitted digitally and selected pieces will be printed, framed, and hung throughout the university's halls with artist names and descriptions. Submissions must be 24" x 36" with at least 300 DPI resolution, submitted in CMYK color mode as TIFF, PSD, or high-quality JPEG. Artwork must include a title under 50 characters and a description of approximately 500 characters explaining how the piece relates to the immigrant experience, movement of people, or establishing roots somewhere new. Eligibility requires artists to be 18 years or older and enrolled in a college or university.