Call for design proposals: a new Concordia mace

Concordia faculty, staff and students are invited to submit a design proposal for a new ceremonial mace for use during Concordia University’s convocation ceremonies.

The mace will serve as a powerful visual symbol of the university’s authority, values, history, and academic excellence. This initiative presents an opportunity to create a legacy piece that reflects both our tradition and evolving identity.

The new mace design should symbolize the university’s mission, history, and aspirations. Creating a new mace that aligns with Concordia’s institutional growth and evolving identity. It will enhance the symbolism and formality of our convocation ceremonies and serve as a tangible representation of our mission and heritage.

Design proposals will be reviewed by a selection committee, and the selected design will be produced and created in house at Concordia by the Core Technical Centre (CTC) in the Faculty of Fine Arts, in collaboration with specialized fabrication shops from across the university.

Who can submit a design proposal: 

• Any current Concordia faculty or staff member
• Any student currently enrolled in a program at Concordia.

Team submissions are permitted with a maximum of three individuals per group.

The winner of the design competition will:

• Work with the CTC to develop technical drawings and 3D models and may be asked to consult with the CTC during the production phase of the mace.
• Work with the production team who will submit technical drawings that will be used for the fabrication of the mace. These include:

            - General 3D model of the mace

            - 3D models of all ornaments and components present on the mace

            - A full set of CAD technical drawings

• Receive an honorarium of $5,000 CAD. If the winning design is a team submission, this honorarium will be divided equally amongst team members.

Key dates

Competition opens: February 23, 2026

Competition closes – deadline to submit application: April 8, 2026

Committee to announce winner week of April 24, 2026

Mace to be completed in August 2026

About the current mace

The academic mace is a centuries-old symbol of scholarly authority and institutional dignity. Used traditionally in academic processions, it signifies the university’s charter to grant degrees and was traditionally carried by the Vice President of Services, however in more recent years has been carried by a faculty member.

Currently, the mace used at convocation is not an official Concordia mace. In the 1990s, it was originally designed and created by the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science as a gift to the Faculty of Arts and Science. The mace is made of metal and is very heavy. In addition, it does not portray the institution's rich history over the last 50 years. 

Design considerations

The design should be for a mace that is:

• between 80cm and 120cm in length and between 15cm and 40cm in width (excluding the handle)
• Visibly striking from a distance
• Light and easy to carry

Please consider materials: locally sourced, sustainable, etc. (During the fabrication process, technicians will use the referenced materials provided in the submission when possible. This is subject to change, at the discretion of the fabricators.) 

The mace should also incorporate symbolic features and references to: 

• University coat of arms 
• University history, including the merger of our founding institutions
• Founding date and motto 
• Representation of academic disciplines
• Local geography 
• Acknowledgement of Indigenous lands and communities

Selection process

Submissions will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of representatives from each faculty, the School of Graduate Studies, Enrolment Services, and the Otsenhákta Student Centre. The selection process will take place in two stages. First, the selection committee will review all submissions and create a shortlist. The shortlist of designs will then be reviewed by the technical staff involved in the production of the new mace, who will provide a recommendation. The selection committee will review this recommendation and select the winning design.

The selected design will be announced the week of April 24, 2026.

Application instructions

Please send your application in one PDF file or in one .zip folder (if you are submitting audio recordings) to macecompetition@concordia.ca by April 8, 2026.

Please include the following in your application.

Personal information

• Full name(s)
• Preferred pronoun(s) (optional)
• Telephone number
• Email address
• If you are a student, please include your student ID number and the Concordia program in which you are currently enrolled
• If you are faculty or staff, please include your staff ID

Supporting documents

• A written project proposal (maximum 1 page), or an audio recording (2 minutes maximum) describing your design proposal, demonstrating a consideration for historical context and technical requirements, as well as feasibility
• One to five sketches of your design, including preliminary technical drawings and/or mock-ups
• A description of the intended materials to be used for the fabrication

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact macecompetition@concordia.ca.