Mitchell A. Wilder Publication Design Awards

All museums, large and small, project a graphic identity in the communications pieces they produce for their publics. Ranging from informal monthly e-newsletters to scholarly exhibit catalogs, from printed posters to digital invitations, these communications reflect the museum's image.

TAM promotes the highest standards of graphic design and media production through the annual Mitchell A.Wilder Publication Design Award Competition. The award is named in honor of one of the early advocates of excellence in museum publications, Mitchell A. Wilder (1913-1979), founding director of the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth. Beginning with primarily late-nineteenth-century Western art, he helped build the collection of paintings and sculptures to include a wide cross-section of American masterpieces. Wilder was largely responsible for establishing the Museum's active publications program, active exhibition calendar, and instituting the photography collection—one of the country's largest. Throughout his career, Wilder strove for excellence and quality, especially in museum publications.

To Submit an Entry:

Fill out a submission form and purchase your submission here and attach a separate Entry Form to each mailed submission. Mail physical entries with printed and attached entry forms by February 1, 2025 to:

Texas Association of Museums

ATTN: Wilder Awards
1108 Lavaca Street, Suite 110 #626
Austin, TX 78701

Eligibility

Submissions produced/executed between January - December 2024. Must be a TAM institutional member museum to submit. All entries must be produced or commissioned by the museum and must relate directly to its program. Any entry deemed not to meet these criteria will be disqualified and the entry fee will be forfeited. Winners need to attend the TAM 2025 conference to receive their award or contact a representative that is attending to accept the award on their behalf.

Policies

There is a limit of 10 (ten) entries submitted. There can be no more than 3 (three) entries in the same category. An entry can ONLY be submitted to 1 (one) category. Winners need to attend the TAM 2025 conference to receive their award or contact a representative that is attending to accept the award on their behalf.

To ensure equitable competition, we are utilizing a tried and true approach: accolades will now be conferred based on institutional staff size. This shift guarantees that museums will vie for recognition among peers of similar staff sizes and budgets, fostering a level playing field for all.

Fees

The entry fee for the Wilder Awards is $25 per submission.
Submissions: Purchase and complete your submission form here and attach a separate Entry Form to each mailed submission. Payments can be made online or a check can be sent in the mail with your physical entries by February 1, 2025 to:

Texas Association of Museums
ATTN: Wilder Awards
1108 Lavaca St. Ste 110 #626
Austin, TX 78701

Deadline for Entries is February 1, 2025

Submissions open on 9/1/2024. | Incomplete forms will disqualify an entry. All entries become the property of TAM. Wilder Award Winning entries will be announced at the TAM Conference in Austin. Winners need to attend the TAM 2025 conference to receive their award or contact a representative that is attending to accept the award on their behalf.

Award Announcements

Winners will be contacted by March 1, 2025 once all judging has been finalized and information is processed by the Awards Committee Chair. Winners will not know what specific level of award they have won until the Awards reception at the TAM Annual Meeting in Austin, April 6-9, 2025. Award recipients are not permitted to publicize their award until after the Annual Meeting in Austin.