As part of an annual collaboration sponsored by World Literature Today and the University of Oklahoma’s School of Visual Arts, three OU students have been selected as winners of the 2025 Neustadt Lit Fest poster contest. Abigail Tharp, Lucy Kim, and Emily Parry won first, second, and third place, respectively, for their designs.
Tharp’s winning design will be used in all the promotional materials for the 2025 Neustadt Festival, slated for Oct. 20–22 on the OU campus. The internationally best-selling writer Cherie Dimaline, winner of the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, will headline the lit fest. A member of the Georgian Bay Métis community, Dimaline is the author of The Marrow Thieves, named by Time magazine as one of the best YA novels of all time.
Nine visiting writers will also convene as the jury to select the winner of the 2026 Neustadt International Prize for Literature and give readings from their works. The festival’s preliminary schedule of events is available online.
Since 2011, School of Visual Arts undergraduate coordinator Karen Hayes-Thumann has incorporated the poster competition as part of her Visual Communication II course. During the spring semester, WLT’s editor in chief, Daniel Simon, met with the students in person to help them refine their concepts, and the magazine’s art director, Parker Buske, also provided feedback at key stages of the process. The WLT staff then chose the winners from among the final designs.
“Each year, it is always a wonderful experience to help judge the NSK poster contest,” said Buske. “The students come forward with a fresh take and artistic outlook on our yearly laureate, and I am always eager to see what they bring to the table. This year, we had a couple of stand-out posters that really captured the playful nature and design style of our NSK winner, Cherie Dimaline. Abigail Tharp’s poster stood out amongst the lot, with a whimsical illustration, unique design touches, and a refined color palette. I am excited to see her artwork come to life through our marketing materials surrounding this year’s festival. Cheers to all the students who participated and put forth their beautiful designs this year!”
Originally from Yukon, Oklahoma, Abigail Tharp is pursuing a degree in visual communications with a minor in digital marketing at the University of Oklahoma. She is motivated to contribute to the world through creativity and problem-solving. Abigail’s work is driven by her fascination with digital art technology and a passion for exploring all creative outlets. You can view her work on Instagram at @abigaillysa.art.
Lucy Kim is a rising junior with a passion for art and creative media. She likes to work in a variety of art forms including ceramics and painting. While pursuing a degree in visual communication at OU, she aims to strengthen her artistic skills and grow as a designer. She hopes to travel the world, experience new cultures, and find creative inspiration along the way.
Emily Parry (emily__lois) is a twenty-year-old sophomore visual communications student from Vici, Oklahoma. Also minoring in digital marketing and art history, she enjoys drawing, collage, and hanging out with friends and loved ones in her spare time. Emily’s interest in graphic design stems from discovering logo and brand advertising as an industry, and from a history of digital drawing and illustration before attending OU.
