2025 Brain Art Contest & Showcase

Theme: Community & Mental Health
Hosted by UVic’s Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health (IALH), the CARING Dementia Collaborative, and the Mental Health Research Cluster.

Entry Deadline: Monday, June 16, 4pm

Showcase & Awards Ceremony: Monday, June 23, 11am - 2pm, Petch Fountain, UVic Campus

Prizes: Three awards will be given (one per age category) plus a People’s Choice Award voted on by the public.

What is this all about?

How does community shape our mental well-being? What does connection look like across the lifespan? What do age-friendly communities look like? What stories of resilience, vulnerability, healing, or support can be told through art?

We’re calling on artists of all ages and abilities to explore the connection between community and mental wellness through any form of art — visual (paintings, sculptures, drawings), written (poetry, short stories), performance-based (theatre, dancing, singing), digital (photography, video), etc.

Let your creativity be the voice for connection, care, and cognitive health!

Participants enter by age categories:

• Young Creators (12 years old & under)
• Teen & Youth Visions (13–24 years old)
• Adult Reflections (25+ years old)  

Who can enter?

Everyone!
Open to all members of the community — whether you're a UVic student, faculty, staff, or a local resident. No artistic experience needed!

How to submit:

Submit your art by 4pm on June 16 by email to IALHResearch@uvic.ca or drop-off at IALH, R Hut (off McKenzie Ave), 3800 Finnerty Rd. between 9am - 4pm, Mon-Fri.

Each submission must include an entry form which can be found here.

Help IALH spread the word!

Use the hashtag #BrainArt2025 on social media and tag us!
Follow the conversation on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.

Check out last year’s submissions on YouTube.