Design Competition

Design Competition Rule Changes

2026 RULE CHANGE #1 - Visual Presentation

The rule about "all information must fit onto your tri-fold board, or on the table directly in front of your tri-fold board" exists for two reasons.

It encourages students to be selective in the information they share -- not just "throw in everything and the kitchen sink".
Judges can only spend so many minutes reviewing each presentation.

PREVIOUS RULE:

The trifold board should be presented with the following information. All information must fit onto your tri-fold board, or on the table directly in front of your tri-fold board, in a visually appealing way. You can decide how much information to include to best communicate your design.

NEW RULE:

The trifold board should be presented with the following information. All information must fit onto your tri-fold board, or on the table directly in front of your tri-fold board, in a visually appealing way. You can decide how much information to include to best communicate your design. While electronic displays may be included in the display space, QR codes or clickable links to various extra documents are not allowed. Judges may only review what is visible in the display space.

Costume Design Guidelines

No significant changes except for the Visual Presentation change listed above.

Scenic Design Competition

In order to better match the Costume and Scenic Design Competitions levels of difficulty, Scenic Designs will no longer REQUIRE research, inspiration images, ground plan and scale model.

INSTEAD, participants will be given the following list of options -- white model, colored model, ground plan, elevations, digital drawings, collage.

Participants will be required to include at least TWO of these elements, but may do as many as will fit on their display, if desired. Only including one element will be grounds for disqualification.

Please help your students understand that more than likely, the most informative and effective way to communicate a Scenic Design is through a colored model.

Lighting Competition - 2026 Pilot

Regions ___ and ____ have volunteered to pilot the Lighting Event in the Design Competition.

Any participant in these regions who chooses to participate in the lighting event can double enter in either the Scenic or Costume category so that they are eligible to take something to State. No lighting events will be presented at the 2026 State Competitions.

More information about the Lighting Competition can be found in the UHSAA July 2025 Meeting Google Slides (on the Information Updates page)