As we come to the year’s end and the final Design Challenge of 2018, we look forward to the Founders’ Choice Awards which is a time for GCU to look back on all of the amazing card submission of 2018.
 
GCU runs the Design Challenge every month with each challenge having a different theme. It is a great source of new card designs for GCU, a fun opportunity for artists to challenge themselves and design outside of their norm, and inspiration for artists looking for new ideas.
 
Heading into 2019, GCU would love to see more artists enter the challenge each month as well as see more artists enter for the first time.
 
We’d like to get artists’ feedback and suggestions on how to improve the Design Challenges for 2019.  
- How can GCU make the challenges more interesting, easier to enter?  
- Would you like more time, better rewards, input on themes, better communications or reminders to enter, etc.?
 
By 12/15, please share your feedback in this post below or if you’d like to send them privately please send an email titled “Design Challenge Feedback” to mindy@greetingcarduniverse.com.
 
This request is also posted here on GCU's Community Blog:
https://gcucommunity.com/2018/11/16/nuts-and-bolts-design-challenge-feedback/

Hi Patricia,
 
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to our call for input. Would you mind giving us a bit more input on being notified of challenges as a way to help us understand who all we are reaching in our artist community?
 
Do you have your forum notifications set to receive GCU News & Announcements?  
 
Have you signed up to receive new blog posts on the GCU Community Artists Blog?
 
Knowing that the design challenges have run from the 1st to the last day of each month, which of the following would work best for you?
 
- Challenges every two months rather than every month.
 
- A board on the forum home page ONLY for Challenge announcements, reminders, etc.  
 
- Email notifications when each new challenge opens on the first of each month.
 
Really appreciate hearing from you!
 
Doreen
 
Quote from Patricia_C_414228 on Nov 17^th, 2018, 3:49pm:

Hi Doreen,
 
I really am not sure if I have blog notifications enabled or not. Is that default? I think an email blast to artists would be more helpful, though. Blog reading is usually low priority.
 
I do have forum updates enabled; that's how I saw the original post for this thread. Is that what you mean?
 
All three of your suggestions have merit. Two months might give people more time to be creative given the rest of their workloads and having both email and dedicated forum are perfect solutions that can be interwoven.
 
Thank you for asking and listening!
 
Patricia
 
[quote author=Doreen_137017 link=1542414325/0#2 date=1542501921]Hi Patricia,
 
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to our call for input. Would you mind giving us a bit more input on being notified of challenges as a way to help us understand who all we are reaching in our artist community?
 
Do you have your forum notifications set to receive GCU News & Announcements?  
 
Have you signed up to receive new blog posts on the GCU Community Artists Blog?
 
Knowing that the design challenges have run from the 1st to the last day of each month, which of the following would work best for you?
 
- Challenges every two months rather than every month.
 
- A board on the forum home page ONLY for Challenge announcements, reminders, etc.  
 
- Email notifications when each new challenge opens on the first of each month.
 
Really appreciate hearing from you!
 
Doreen

Hello, Sharon - Yes, please do participate!  
 
For a couple of years now we've alternated months between Big Stock only and Designer challenges in the hopes it would open the challenges up to more participants. You most likely tuned in for the first time during a BS Challenge month.  
 
Thank you for taking the time to offer feedback. I do understand. Emails tend to capture my attention quicker than forum notifications, too.
 
Quote from Sharon_437040 on Nov 18^th, 2018, 6:43am: