SUBMISSION TERMS
Last updated 2026-08-13
The short version: you keep your work. We print and display it for this exhibition only.
01 / Ownership
You retain all rights, including all copyright, moral rights, and any other intellectual property rights, in and to the work you submit. Nothing in these terms transfers, assigns, or encumbers any ownership interest to Design Graveyard, SEGD Chicago, or any sponsor or vendor associated with this exhibition. Your submission does not create a work-for-hire relationship, and no party other than you (or your employer, if applicable) acquires any ownership interest in the work by virtue of its submission or display.
02 / Limited License to Display
By submitting, you grant Design Graveyard and SEGD Chicago a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, royalty-free license to reproduce, print, and publicly display your submission solely as part of the Design Graveyard exhibition, and to reproduce and display it in documentation and promotion of that exhibition (including social media, press coverage, and event marketing). This license is limited in scope to the exhibition and its promotion. It does not extend to any other product, publication, commercial use, resale, or derivative work. This license terminates automatically upon the close of the exhibition and the conclusion of any related promotional activities, except as provided in Section 06 (Digital Archive) below.
03 / Your Work, Your Warranty
You represent and warrant that: (a) the work is your original creation, or you have obtained all permissions necessary to submit and display it; (b) displaying the work does not violate any non-disclosure agreement, client agreement, employment agreement, or third-party intellectual property right; and (c) the submission depicts a lost, abandoned, or unrealized concept rather than new work created specifically for this show. If your work was created during or in connection with your employment or a client engagement, it is your responsibility to confirm that your submission is permitted under the terms of that relationship. Design Graveyard and SEGD Chicago do not require and will not request a release from your employer or client, and they assume no responsibility for verifying your authority to submit.
04 / Printing and Display
Submissions are formatted to a 17″ × 17″ canvas using the provided InDesign template. Printing is provided by Amplify. We may scale or make minor technical adjustments to files as needed to produce and hang the work, but we will not alter the substantive content or creative expression of your submission. We reserve the right to decline a submission that does not meet the published guidelines or the display constraints of the venue. Dimensional and digital media submissions are considered on a case-by-case basis.
05 / Credit
Work is linked to the name and design team details you provide in the submission form. Please verify your preferred credit line carefully, as submissions are printed as received.
06 / Digital Archive (Opt-In Only)
If, and only if, you affirmatively selected “yes” to the digital archive question on the submission form, you grant Design Graveyard a non-exclusive, non-transferable, royalty-free license to maintain and display your submission on the Design Graveyard website as part of a permanent online archive of the exhibition. This archive license is subject to the same scope limitations described in Section 02 and does not authorize any commercial exploitation of your work. If you selected “no,” or did not respond to the digital archive question, no archive license is granted and your submission will be used only for the exhibition and its promotion as described in Section 02 above. You may revoke your archive consent at any time by emailing us at the address set forth in Section 12 below, and we will remove your work from the online archive within a reasonable period following your request.
07 / No Fee, No Compensation
There is no entry fee, and there is no payment or other compensation for participation. Submitted files are retained by Design Graveyard solely for production purposes and are not returned; you retain your original files and all rights therein.
08 / Withdrawal
You may withdraw your submission at any time before the work goes to print by emailing us at the address set forth in Section 12 below. Once a piece has been printed or installed, we may not be able to remove it from the physical exhibition, but withdrawal will prevent any further promotional use and, if applicable, any inclusion in the digital archive.
09 / Contact Information
We collect and use your name, email address, and submission details solely for the purposes of administering the exhibition and communicating with you about your work. We will not sell, license, or share your personal information with any third party, except to the extent necessary to coordinate printing and installation of the exhibition (e.g., sharing file details with the printer). Our use of your information is subject to applicable privacy laws.
10 / Amendments
We may update these terms prior to the exhibition opening. The version of these terms posted on designgraveyard.com at the time you submit your work is the version that governs your submission. Any material changes made after your submission will not retroactively alter the scope of the license you granted without your affirmative consent.
11 / Governing Law
These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles.