The Council for the Arts at MIT presents several awards annually to MIT students who have demonstrated excellence in the arts. CAMIT also oversees the Eugene McDermott Award in the Arts at MIT, which recognizes an artist, from outside the Institute, who has demonstrated excellence in the creative arts.

 

For more information, please contact council-arts@mit.edu.

Jake Gunter's lighting design for 'Small Infinities.' Isaac Newton in the foreground, played by Ben Spiro '17, and Hannah Smith, Newton’s mother is in the background, played by Sabrine Iqbal '17. Photo: Jake Gunter.

Laya and Jerome B. Wiesner Student Art Awards

The Laya and Jerome B. Wiesner Student Art Awards are presented annually to up to four students (undergraduate or graduate), living groups, organizations or activities for outstanding achievement in and contributions to the arts at MIT. An endowment fund provides a $2,000 award to each recipient.

Cycle: Annual

Eligibility: Undergraduate or Graduate Students at MIT

Process: Nomination by faculty or staff (Self-nominations not accepted)

2017 Schnitzer First Prize Recipient Ani Liu's Mind Controlled Spermatozoa, 2017.

Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Prize

The Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Prize in the Visual Arts is presented  to current MIT students, undergraduate and graduate, for excellence in a body of artistic work. Students submit an artistic portfolio for consideration, and a generous endowment awards first place $5,000, second prize $3,000, third prize $2,000, and honorable mention $1,000. Recipients also have the opportunity to display their work in a joint exhibition in the Wiesner Student Art Gallery.

The Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Prize in the Visual Arts was established in 1996 through the generosity of Harold and Arlene Schnitzer of Portland, Oregon. Schnitzer, a real estate investor, graduated from MIT in 1944 with a degree in metallurgy.

Cycle: Annual

Eligibility: Undergraduate or Graduate Students at MIT

Process: Self-Nomination, Application with an Artistic Portfolio

Eugene McDermott Award in the Arts at MIT

Eugene McDermott Award in the Arts at MIT

The Eugene McDermott Award in the Arts at MIT recognizes rising, innovative talents and offers its recipient a $100,000 prize and a campus residency. The award may be given to an artist working in any field or cross-disciplinary activity, including architecture, creative writing, dance, design, filmmaking, media arts, music, theater and visual arts.

Cycle: Every other year

Eligibility: Artist working in any field or cross-disciplinary activity

Process: Requested nominations by Selection Committee

John Harbison. Photo: Jon Sachs.

György Kepes Fellowship Prize

The György Kepes Fellowship Prize is presented to a member of the MIT community who has demonstrated excellence in the creative arts, including architecture, visual and performing arts, and writing.

 

Cycle: As identified

Eligibility: MIT community members, with a focus on Faculty or Staff

Process: Nomination