Youth Art Contest

Psoriasis Canada is inviting children and youth across Canada to take part in a national art contest in recognition of World Psoriasis Day on October 29.

The contest, Empowering Young Voices Impacted by Psoriasis Through Art, gives young people a creative way to express their experiences, hopes, and perspectives about psoriasis—whether they live with the condition themselves, have a close personal connection to someone affected by psoriatic disease, or care about this condition for another personal reason.

Children and youth ages 5 to 17 who live in Canada are encouraged to submit original artwork that reflects their psoriasis story. Entries may be submitted by young people living with psoriasis or by those who have a meaningful connection to the condition. Parental or guardian consent is required for participation and for any publication of artwork.

Selected artwork will be showcased on Psoriasis Canada’s website and at an in-person educational forum on October 24, where attendees will have the opportunity to vote for their favourites. Winners will be announced on October 29, World Psoriasis Day, through Psoriasis Canada’s communication channels.

Eligibility

Participants must:

  • Reside in Canada
  • Be between ages 5–17
  • Either:
    • Live with psoriasis
    • Have a personal connection to someone living with psoriasis
    • Want to raise awareness about psoriasis

Age Categories

To ensure fair judging, entries will be grouped into:

  • Group 1:Ages 5–8
  • Group 2:Ages 9–12
  • Group 3:Ages 13–17

*Depending on submission volume, groups may be consolidated into two categories.

Conditions and how to submit

  • Submissions must be sent as a JPEG with a maximum file size of 5MB to info@psoriasiscanada.ca. If contestants have difficulty submitting virtually, they can reach out to info@psoriasiscanada.ca for help.
  • Maximum 3-5 words can accompany the image. If the winning entry has words to accompany the image, they will be translated to include both English and French.
  • Use even, natural lighting and crop the image so only the artwork is visible (no frames or backgrounds).
  • Name the file using the format: LastName-FirstName-Title-Age.jpg.
  • Submission must include a signed Authorization, Release and Waiver of Liability. Submissions that are received without a signed form will not be eligible for participation in the art contest.

*The winning artwork might be modified to accommodate printing on t-shirts (i.e., wording, colours, size).

Judging & Voting

Phase 1: Screening

Entries will be reviewed to ensure eligibility and alignment with the theme (Empowering Young Voices). Psoriasis Canada may also have a second review process to manage the number of entries put forward for public voting for feasibility.

Phase 2: Preliminary Public Voting

Entries that pass screening will be posted on Psoriasis Canada’s website for public voting for a two-week period of time (date tbc). Entries will be posted with first name and age or grade.

Phase 3: Final Selection

Top five finalists from each age category will be printed and displayed at Psoriasis Canada’s Community Forum on October 24th for in-person voting. Entries will be posted with first name and age or grade.

Votes will be tallied and winners confirmed and announced on October 29 – World Psoriasis Day through Psoriasis Canada’s communication channels.

Prizes & Recognition

     Three Grand Prize Winners – one for each age group

Grand prize winners will:

  • Have their artwork featured on official Psoriasis Canada 2027 World Psoriasis Day tshirts*
  • Receive a certificate of participation
  • Be featured on website, social media, online art gallery*
  • Be recognized during World Psoriasis Day announcement*

*Subject to parental consent

Three Runners Up – one for each age group

Runners up will:

  • Have their artwork featured on 2027 merchandise (tbc – i.e., poster, notepad)*
  • Receive a certificate of participation
  • Be feature on website, social media, online art gallery*
  • Be recognized during World Psoriasis Day announcement*

*Subject to parental consent

All participants will receive a digital certificate of participation.

This contest is an opportunity for young people to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and show others what psoriasis means through their own creativity. Psoriasis Canada looks forward to celebrating the voices and artwork of children and youth from across the country.