Come October 29, the Illinois Institute of Art-Shaumburg will once again host the Annual ARTimation Festival. A relatively young tradition that dates back to 1999, the event presents an opportunity for students and alumni to show off the fruits of their labor on the big screen. From its humbled beginnings, the show has evolved into a juried digital arts festival.

Watch the best young talents from the field of animation compete for a chance to be included by the jury. Today, the show is expected to draw in over 3000 people from all over the country. It will showcase the work of currently enrolled students as well as recent graduates from our Bachelor of Fine Art degrees. Of course, this is all about those who majored in Media Arts and Animation, Game art and Design, Web Design and Interactive Media Design, Digital Filmmaking and Video Production, as well as Visual Effects and Motion Graphics.

The judges in the jury are from some of the most prestigious companies. Some of the names are phuzz entertainment, AREA 51, Digital Domain, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Cartoon Network, and Cryptic Studios. There are sponsors around and are commonly found in the ranks of various software and hardware designers.

Be sure to check out the scholarship grants that some divisions have, as prices vary for each category. Anyone can benefit from a scholarship, and striving to get one can be an inspiration of its own. There will also Adobe Creative Suite freebies, which will be a big help for aspiring animators and artists.

Start preparing your portfolio for your submission to the ARTimation and be ready for the 29th of October! It’s never too early; the best ideas may come when you least expect them, but it takes dedication and patience to animate it. You never know, you may even win one of the scholarship prizes.