Electronic Arts announced yesterday that the company is teaming up with three art and design schools to produce art competitions and exhibitions that will celebrate the art of The Sims. EA will partner up with students at Parsons The New School for Design in New York, Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles to produce Sims-inspired artwork in a range of varied media, including: machinima, paintings, illustrations, sculptural work, fashion designs, cinematography, and interactive displays.

The art will be on display at each school later this year, with pieces for the exhibit to be selected from work submitted by students at the three respective schools and judged by representatives from the schools and EA. The Machinima and Traditional Art will be judged in separate categories, with $12,000 of prize money awarded at each school for winning entries. The exhibits will be sponsored by Ford Motor Company.

“EA has long recognized the artistic talent of the students at Parsons the New School for Design, Academy of Art University and Otis College of Art and Design. This program is the perfect way to celebrate The Sims games across a variety of art forms.” said Jack Lew, Global University Relations Manager for Art Talent at EA. “And true to the Sims franchise, ‘The Sims: In the Hands of Artists’ exhibits will demonstrate self expression and creativity.”

“The Sims games celebrate creativity—encouraging players to create their own world as they play through the game. We’ve seen fans make everything from their dream home, to story-driven movies using The Sims as their medium. Putting a creative tool like The Sims in the hands of emerging artists opens up a whole new world of possibilities—we can’t wait to see what the students come up with,” said Nancy Smith, GM of The Sims Division at Electronic Arts and an avid art collector.

Exhibition Dates:

• April 19th – May 12th: Parsons The New School for Design at the Chelsea Art Museum

• June 26th – July 19th: 79 Gallery at Academy of Art University, San Francisco

• July 14th – August 11th: Ben Maltz Gallery at Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles

For more information on ‘The Sims: In the Hands of Artists’, including rules and regulations, as well as any changes to dates and locations, please visit www.TheSims2.com/HandsOfArtists.