BCIT Graphic Design students earn recognition in global poster exhibition

Students in the BCIT School of Business + Media’s Graphic Design program are receiving international recognition after having their work selected for the prestigious International Poster Biennale – Fútbol + Art: A Path to Peace, an exhibition celebrating creativity, cultural exchange, and the unifying power of sport ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

Organized by the International Poster Biennial in Mexico City, the competition invited post-secondary institutes from Canada, the United States, and Mexico to explore the theme of football and art as a pathway to peace. From submissions across the three participating countries, only 33 posters were selected from each nation to form a curated exhibition of 99 works that is now touring World Cup host countries across North America.

For Carolina Becerra, BCIT Graphic Design Instructor, the achievement reflects far more than artistic talent.

“This wasn’t just a competition win, it’s validation on a global scale. These students were measured against institutes from across North America and selected on merit. That puts BCIT’s design program exactly where it belongs: on the international stage.”

Meeting a professional design challenge

The competition challenged students to complete a professional-level creative brief under rigorous guidelines. Only students who had demonstrated sufficient progress in the program were invited to participate.

Each submission was required to be entirely original. Artificial intelligence-generated artwork, stock imagery, FIFA branding, and photographs of football players were prohibited. Students also documented their creative process from concept to completion through a video submission, allowing the international jury to evaluate not only the final design but also the research, critical thinking, and creative development behind each piece.

Carolina described the process of this design challenge, “This project was a full professional brief. No AI, no stock imagery, and every element had to be entirely their own backed by a video documenting their process from concept to completion. The jury wasn’t just looking at a poster. They were evaluating thinking, rigour, and craft.”

“I’m so honoured to have my posters selected for the International Poster Exhibition. This project was definitely one of the most challenging ones I’ve worked on, but it pushed me to grow and think so much as a designer. Thank you for all your support, encouragement, and for always challenging us to think bigger. I learned a lot from this,” Wanwan Yan, BCIT Graphic Design student.

Showcasing BCIT talent on the international stage

The exhibition officially opened on June 11 at El Rule Cultural Center in Mexico City before continuing its international tour. It has since been exhibited in Guadalajara, at the Universum Museum at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and at multiple venues across the United States, introducing audiences to emerging designers whose work explores themes of sport, culture, and peace.

The international recognition highlights the calibre of work being produced within BCIT’s Graphic Design program and demonstrates how students are developing industry-ready skills through authentic creative experiences.

Carolina valued the international part of this project, “When a student’s work tours Mexico City, Guadalajara, and venues across the United States, that’s a different kind of education. International exposure teaches students that their work can hold its own beyond the classroom, beyond BCIT, beyond Canada. That confidence is something no assignment can manufacture”.