Ringling College Students Compete to Redesign Florida License Plate

Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida turned to the students of Ringling College of Art and Design to create the new “Conserve Wildlife” license plate. Now, the public has the chance to weigh in on the winning design at  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/bearplate

Once upon a time, the nonprofit Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida’s “Conserve Wildlife” license plate was one of the best-selling in the Sunshine State. For $25 extra dollars, Florida drivers with the bear tag knew they were protecting many of Florida’s iconic animals, from endangered Florida panthers and bears to grasshopper sparrows and wood storks. While it still generates $400,000 annually for conservation, sales have declined significantly over the past several years, losing ground to newer – and more stylish – plates.

“This plate has generated more than $600,000 alone in recent years to help conserve the Florida black bear, which has rebounded from a total 400 bears 20 years ago to more than 4,000 bears today,” said Foundation CEO Andrew Walker. “We know the new design will be a bestseller that increases our ability to protect and manage Florida’s wonderful wildlife.”

In the era of crowdsourcing, the Foundation turned to the best and brightest for help: the students of Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL. 

Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida worked with the Collaboratory, by launching a campus-wide competition to redesign the “Conserve Wildlife” plate. The Collaboratory is a partnership with Ringling College of Art and Design and The Patterson Foundation created to offer students real-world work experience before they graduate. “We are extremely pleased with the design and technical challenges this project provides our students. The competition is a tremendous opportunity, demanding our students develop a unique design which addresses both aesthetic and functional needs, from concept to output,” states Collaboratory project director, Angela Leed. Ninety-eight students entered, competing for cash prizes and the chance to see their artwork adorning cars across the state. Ringling faculty chose the five top plates, all of which will receive awards, and the Foundation will choose the winning design.