‘South Bend: The Next 100 Years’ poster design contest underway

The Studebaker National Museum and The History Museum are launching “South Bend: The Next 100 Years,” a poster design contest to celebrate the future of South Bend.

The winning poster will be forward looking, aspirational and inspirational to those who call the city home. There is a total of $28,500 in cash awards: $10,000, first prize; $5,000, second prize; $3,500, third prize; and $1,000 to each of 10 finalists.

The competition is open to all ages; there is no entry fee. Designs can be submitted at studebakermuseum.org/ south-bend-next-100-years; the deadline to enter is June 25.

The idea for the “South Bend: The Next 100 Years” contest was sparked by the poster. It was first presented as the cover of a survey booklet designed in 1922 and since then has been a source of inspiration and civic pride to South Bend residents.

The booklet, “South Bend, World Famed,” was prepared to celebrate the centenary of the founding of South Bend. It illustrated the progress made in the 100 years since 1823, when the city’s founder, Alexis Coquillard, settled the area and opened his fur trading post.

In celebration of South Bend, the booklet mapped out what the city had become during its first century, including descriptions and histories of local businesses, business leaders, educational institutions, elected officials and governmental agencies. The cover image captured a sense of pride about how far South Bend had come as well as optimism of where it hoped to grow.

Today, in 2023, on the 200th anniversary of Coquillard’s settling in the area, The History Museum and Studebaker National Museum are holding a competition for the creation of a new poster — an image that will encapsulate the DNA of South Bend and its potential to continue to be world famed.

The contest is sponsored in part by South Bend community leader Doug Hunt.

“South Bend will always have an open door to doers and dreamers. That’s how the city grew then and will grow into the future. There is nothing so powerful as civic pride, and with this poster design contest we are enlisting art and creativity into the ‘cause’ of South Bend’s future,” Hunt said.

Jurying of entries takes place from June 26 to July 14. On July 24, an exhibit of the

10 selected finalists will open at the museum campus, and the awarding of first-, second-, and third-place winners will take place Aug. 21.

The Studebaker National Museum and The History Museum are located eight blocks west of downtown South Bend. The museum campus is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission to tour both museums is $16, with discounts for seniors and youth.

For more information, call The History Museum at (574) 235-9664 and Studebaker National Museum at (574) 235-9714.