Theme: An Accessible Future

As technology develops in new ways, many fear the ramifications of its changes.  As such, artists have created dystopian works to help us reflect upon these changes.  

However, can we also imagine a future that is not only positive, but accessible to those who currently experience barriers to societal participation and expression?

In our times, questions loom large regarding whether technological developments will lower or raise barriers.  We invite artists to probe how technology can lower barriers for persons with disabilities to share their art, and question the legitimacy behind claims like “AI allows disabled people to make art.”

To create is to be human and to express our humanity. How can we as artists envision and enable a future that is positive and accessible for all? 

Dates and Location

The show will take place at the Gannett Gallery at SUNY Polytechnic, and will run from March 9, 2026 to April 17, 2026.

Eligibility

This show is open to all.  

If you have any questions about this form, please contact ArtOpportunities@suny.edu


  The Thayer Fellowship and the Patricia Kerr Ross Award are given each year to out standing candidates for graduation from The State University of New York, funded through endowments established in honor of Jeanne C. Thayer, Trustee of SUNY from 1974-1984, and Patricia Kerr Ross, former Artistic Director of the Thayer Fellowship.
The purpose of these awards is to serve as a bridge between study at The State University of New York and first-time entry into a professional career in the creative or performing arts: namely music, theatre, dance, film and video, creative writing, and the visual arts.

  The Thayer Fellowship includes TWO $7000 Fellowships, each of which can be given to one or two individuals. The Fellowship selection is based on talent, achievement, and potential as a professional artist.
  The Ross Award of $1,000 is given to an individual or divided among two exceptional applicants. The basis for this award is excellence, originality, and promise.
  The awards are available to seniors and graduate students in the arts who are about to graduate from the University and make a career in the arts. They are not intended for students going on to graduate school.
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The Thayer Fellowships were established for The State University of New York by Walter N. Thayer, in honor of his wife Jeanne C. Thayer, who was a trustee of SUNY from 1974 to 1984. During that time, she was the liaison trustee to the University-wide Committee on the Arts and helped plan and implement many projects in the visual and performing arts. She was a leader in New York City’s museum and gallery world and was active as well in historic preservation.
The Ross Award is administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts, which serves individual artists, promotes their freedom to develop and create, and provides the broader public with opportunities to experience and understand their work. NYFA accomplishes this by offering financial and informational assistance to artists and arts organizations by supporting arts programming in the schools and local communities, and by building collaborative relationships with others who advocate for the arts in New York State and throughout the country.

Eligibility

  Applicants must be currently enrolled as candidates for associates, baccalaureate and/or advanced degree programs in the arts in The State University of New York. The degree must be completed in SUNY. Application must be made in the academic year of graduation. Students who have returned to the University for advanced study after establishing professional careers in their field are not eligible; the fellowship is intended for those entering a career in the arts for the first time. 

Selection of Thayer Fellows and Ross Awardees
  Applications will be reviewed by a panel composed of non-SUNY professionals in the applicant’s field. Final decisions will be made through audition and interview with the Thayer/Ross Panel. The Fellowship and Award will be made in the spring.

  To apply you must sign the downloadable Legal Agreement and Permission Form and fill out the following Submittable application.

The SUNY Mental Health Champion Award recognizes faculty and staff who go above and beyond their job responsibilities to demonstrate exceptional dedication and advocacy for mental health awareness and support within the campus community. Recipients are acknowledged for promoting mental health awareness, leading initiatives to combat stigma, advocating for mental health resources, fostering a positive mental health environment on campus, and enhancing wellness and suicide prevention efforts. The awardee should exhibit strong leadership skills to effectively organize, motivate, and engage students in mental health-related outreach and educational endeavors. This award celebrates their commitment to creating a positive and inclusive environment that prioritizes mental wellness for all students. Special consideration will be given to nominations with a demonstrable impact on reducing mental health disparities on the college campus. 

Self-nominations are welcome, as are nominations from faculty, staff, and students. Nominations should include the nominee’s current job responsibilities and how their efforts to support mental health go above and beyond these duties and may include photographs, videos, flyers, or any other materials that showcase the implementation and impact of the initiative. Nominations are limited to two pages plus two letters of support.

One recipient will be selected each year and receive a $500 award. This award is funded through the generosity of TimelyCare.

The Council of Senior Student Affairs Officers John Graham Award for Mentorship recognizes the impact that mentors and mentorship can have on those who enter the student affairs profession. Each year one professional from a SUNY state-operated campus will be selected for this prestigious recognition, named for Dr. John L. Graham, who tragically passed away in 2021 after serving as SUNY’s first Student Advocate and as Officer-in-Charge at SUNY Potsdam. 

Throughout his career, Dr. Graham brought creativity and innovative approaches to his work with great caring and empathy. Firmly believing in the personification of hard work, good luck, and perseverance, Dr. Graham believed in the ‘care gene’, actively seeking out colleagues at the junior and senior level to mentor to become better and more seasoned professionals focused on making the community around them, and the broader world, a better place. He leaves behind a legacy of individuals whose work was made better by his influence. 

 This special award given in Dr. Graham’s honor is designed to recognize student affairs who serve as mentors and advisors to others; demonstrate a sustained commitment to the intellectual, professional, and holistic development of others; encourage others to pursue meaningful professional and personal goals and opportunities; and who use their influence to help others to change their community and the broader world for the better. 

 To be selected for this honor, the professional must have served in a student affairs role for no less than eight years, have embodied the NASPA Pillars of Integrity, Inclusion, Innovation, and Inquiry defined above, and have a demonstrated record of mentorship.  

 Self-nominations are welcome, as are nominations from all others in Student Affairs.  Nominations should include examples of how the individual has demonstrated the above pillars and speak to their contribution to the profession as a professional and mentor. Nominations are limited to two pages plus two letters of support from mentees or colleagues who can attest to a record of mentorship.

The Council of Senior Student Affairs Officers Robert A. (Bob) Bonfiglio Award annually recognizes the impact that new professionals in Student Affairs have upon the student affairs profession and our State University of New York colleges and universities. Each year, up to three new professionals from SUNY state-operated campuses will be selected as winners of this recognition. 

To be selected for this honor, the professional must have served in a student affairs role for less than four years (graduate students who are working in a professional role on a campus are also eligible) and must show excellence in at least one of the following categories (which are aligned with the NASPA Pillars requirements): Integrity, Inclusion, Innovation, and Inquiry, as well as a fifth category of Impact (described below). 

· Integrity: Committed to high moral principles exhibiting authentic, honest, just and ethical behavior.

· Innovation: Continuously seeking improvement through new and creative approaches. 

· Inclusion: Seeking ways to ensure access, voice, acknowledgement, opportunity and participation at all levels. 

· Inquiry: Supporting research and scholarship to add to the knowledge base of the profession and ensure that data informs practice. 

· Impact: Supporting the mission of their campus and the State University of New York through service to the campus, or representing the campus on a regional or national level. 

In addition to a plaque, the awardee will receive up to $2,000 to attend a Student Affairs professional development conference of their choosing anytime in the next two years.

Nominations should be submitted by someone in the individual’s current line of supervision. Nominations should include examples of how the individual has demonstrated the above pillars and speak to the potential for future contributions to the profession. Nominations are limited to two pages plus two letters of support.