1st Place Winner: $500
Honourable Mentions: $250
Winners work will be displayed in Art Toronto from October 29 to November 1, 2026. Student winners will also have their work featured in an online exhibition that lives permanently on the Art Canada Institute website.
Submit all art pieces by April 30th 2026
Each year, students in grades 7 through 12 from across the country are invited to create an original artwork that is inspired by a historical or contemporary work of Canadian art. Students may choose as inspiration a piece from this year’s Student Creativity Booklet, or from the hundreds of examples on the Art Canada Institute website. We accept works in any medium.
This year’s student challenge has a theme: Canada Through My Eyes. Students must submit works that fit into one of five thematic categories, including Symbols of Canada, Landscapes in Canada, Canadian Pastimes, Canadian Teams, and Portraits of Canadians. Details about the themes and examples of art inspiration are included in this year’s Student Creativity Booklet.
To learn more click here: https://www.aci-iac.ca/education/art-challenge/
Students in grades 7, 8, or 9 projects for Semester 2 will have at least one project on the theme of "Canada Through My Eyes". Students are encouraged to submit their work with parent/guardian support. You are welcome to submit the piece created in class or an entirely separate piece done on your own time.
ACI_Education-Challenge_2026-Inspiration-Booklet_EN.pdf