CCS Student Eli Archer Wins 2025 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Presented by Lear Poster Competition

College for Creative Studies (CCS) student Eli Archer tapped into his Hoosier heritage as the 20-year-old sophomore from Indiana emerged victorious in the 2025 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear Official Poster Competition on Wednesday, April 2. Archer’s colorful creation captured the thrill of racing on the Streets of Downtown Detroit while highlighting the Grand Prix’s connection to the local community and the summertime vibe of the Motor City.

The final judging of the annual student poster competition took place at the CCS A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education in Downtown Detroit, where a distinguished panel of judges selected Archer’s design from the five final contenders. The winning artwork will be refined over the next few weeks before the official poster is revealed on Tuesday, May 6. The 2025 commemorative poster will be available for purchase online at www.DetroitGP.com in advance of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear, May 30-June 1.

The 2025 design competition represents the 13th consecutive year of collaboration between the Grand Prix and CCS, offering students at Detroit’s renowned art and design college the opportunity to create the official poster for the city’s annual summer racing festival. This competition is more than a showcase of artistic talent – it embodies the power of art to unite communities, celebrate diversity and provide a platform for CCS students to express their unique and shared experiences.

“We are so excited to celebrate the 13th year of our unique collaboration with the College for Creative Studies and we are honored to build on the tradition of the Official Grand Prix commemorative poster and provide opportunities for young talented artists to shine,” said Bud Denker, Chairman of the Detroit Grand Prix and one of the judges of the annual competition. “Eli’s poster design captures the personality of Detroit, along with the fun and the excitement of the Grand Prix.”

All five student finalists in the competition presented their poster designs to the eight-member judging panel on Wednesday as the aspiring artists each described their vision and process behind their creations. Judges included Denker, Raphael Zammit, Chair of the Graduate Transportation Design program at CCS; Ryan Root, Performance, Motorsports and Accessories Designer for General Motors; Erika Cryderman, Senior Marketing Specialist for Lear Corporation; Bobby Keyes, Vice President of the Detroit Sports Media Association; Neal Rubin, columnist for the Detroit Free Press, Genna Barner, Page Designer for the Detroit News and FOX2 Detroit news anchor and reporter Amy Lange.

Detroit Grand Prix fans also factored into the selection process. The top five designs were posted on the Detroit GP social media platforms as followers were encouraged to vote for their favorite design. Fan voting was factored into the decision of the on-site judges to determine the results of the competition.

Archer’s winning poster design featured a young woman roller skating through the streets of Detroit while waving checkered flags for both the NTT INDYCAR SERIES car and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship prototype racing on the Grand Prix circuit in front of a cheering crowd and the GM Renaissance Center.

“I just thought roller skating was a different way to incorporate the cars into the design. I wanted this poster to personify Detroit and reflect Detroit in the cars and the cars into the race,” said Archer, who is from Zionsville, Ind., a suburb of Indianapolis. “I’m so shocked to win this competition, especially seeing how strong the designs were from the other competitors. This was such a fun process and I really liked learning about the history of the Detroit Grand Prix and what it means to the city.”

The five finalists were students from the CCS Digital Illustration class, led by instructor Brian Kotulis. CCS, a renowned art and design college in Midtown Detroit, attracts some of the nation’s top illustration and design talent. Each spring, the Grand Prix provides these students with a platform to showcase their skills through the annual poster design competition, which is integrated into their class curriculum.

Archer’s design won in a close competition with the second-place entry designed by CCS student Robin Contreras, while the artwork created by Luca Olgren came in third place to complete the poster podium. Students Jacob Nguyen and David Klink earned honorable mention recognition for their poster designs.

This hands-on experience allows students to work with a real “client” and produce a final professional product. The competition not only fosters creativity but also upholds the Grand Prix’s heritage of creating commemorative posters, a tradition that dates back to the inaugural Detroit Grand Prix in 1982. Thanks to a partnership between the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear and the Detroit Sports Media Association, each of the top five designers in this year’s competition will receive a small scholarship in recognition of their outstanding work.

The 35th Grand Prix event in the City’s history will return to the 1.7-mile, nine-turn Streets of Downtown Detroit circuit that runs along the award-winning Detroit Riverwalk, May 30-June 1, 2025. With new viewing options and entertainment packages, fans can purchase tickets at www.DetroitGP.com/Tickets or through the event’s Ticket Hotline at 888-811-PRIX (7749). For more information on the 2025 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear, visit www.DetroitGP.com.

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ABOUT THE DETROIT GRAND PRIX

The Detroit Grand Prix is a 501(c)3 organization and a subsidiary of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. Scheduled for May 30-June 1, 2025, the event will return to the Streets of Downtown Detroit. The Grand Prix will include the Chevrolet INDYCAR Grand Prix featuring the cars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the sports cars of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the rising stars of racing competing in INDY NXT by Firestone. For more information, visit DetroitGP.com and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.