Accolades Awards spotlight student arts organizations across campus
The Accolades Awards 2026: Nominate Your Student Organization Now-March 31
The Accolades Awards, established in 2014, celebrate the creativity, impact, and dedication of student arts organizations at the University of Michigan. Each year, the Arts Initiative recognizes 18 organizations across categories ranging from Theatre and Fashion to Community Arts Engagement.
Several awards highlight the broader impact of student work, including the Lifting Voices Award, which honors organizations that amplify underrepresented perspectives through the arts.
Beyond the financial support, the Accolades Awards offer valuable visibility across campus. As Joe Levickas, Director of Student Engagement for the Arts Initiative, explains: “Accolades Awards are an opportunity for emerging organizations to share their work and gain recognition from the Michigan community. They also serve as a record of what the student arts community has accomplished throughout the year.”
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For newer organizations, the recognition can be especially meaningful. The Michigan Songwriters Collective, founded in 2023, credits the awards with helping affirm their mission: “Winning this award as a new student organization was a vote of confidence from the Michigan arts community in our values and hard work,” their Executive Board shared.
Established groups also continue to find value in the program. Not Even Really Drama Students (NERDS), a long-standing student organization, regularly participates in the nomination process. “Every single one of our shows is built from the ground up, and each award feels like a recognition of the labor and love that goes into our productions,” said President Pragya Choudhary.
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Award recipients are featured on the Arts Initiative’s website and social media, as well as in The Michigan Daily—helping ensure that the work of student arts organizations reaches a broader audience across campus.
Nominations are now open. Student organizations may nominate themselves in up to four categories through March 31. Public voting will take place April 2–15.
Learn more and submit your nomination here.
