What does“Building a stronger Canada for everyone” mean to you?
Welcoming Week is this September (10-19), and we are inviting clients, staff, volunteers, partners and funders to bring this theme to life through the arts. Artists of all experience levels can enter individually or as a team.
We successfully ran a contest two years ago when we launched our new brand ‘Welcoming Newcomers’ and the response and quality was incredible. We now display these artworks in all our locations across BC to add colour and a warm welcome to all our visitors.
Five submissions will receive prizes with a combined value of $1,000!
Submit your original work no later than September 30, 2026, for a chance to win!
Choose how you want to share your idea
- painting or illustration
- graphic design
- photography
- video
- poetry
- song
- short story.
You can create something new or submit an existing piece from your portfolio, as long as it is your own original work and connects to the contest theme.
Original work only
Your submission must be entirely your own. Do not copy another person’s work or use generative AI to create any part of your submission.
Entries containing AI-generated images, writing, music, audio or video will be disqualified.
Videos must be no longer than two minutes.
Theme
“Building a stronger Canada for everyone.”
There is no single correct way to explore the theme. Your work could show what belonging, welcome, inclusion or community means to you.
If you need inspiration, consider these questions:
- What makes a community welcoming?
- What does belonging mean to you?
- How can people from different backgrounds work together?
- What strengths and ideas do newcomers bring to Canada?
- What would a stronger and more inclusive Canada look like?
Include two or three sentences with your entry explaining how your work connects to the theme.
Prizes
Five winners will be selected to receive gift cards with a combined value of $1,000:
- First place: $300
- Second place: $200
- Third place: $200
- Fourth place: $150
- Fifth place: $150.
The five winning submissions and artist biographies will also be featured across ISSofBC’s digital channels and locations (with your consent).
How to enter
Email your digital submission to communications@issbc.org by September 30, 2026.
Set the email subject line to: 2026 Welcoming Week arts contest: [Your name]
Include:
- your full name, or the names of all team members
- your connection to ISSofBC
- the title of your work
- a two-to-three-sentence description of how your work connects to the theme
- a short biography about yourself
- your digital file or an accessible download link
-
the originality statement below:
- “I confirm that this submission is my own original work and does not contain AI-generated content.”
Rules
Before entering, please make sure:
- your submission is your own original work
- your work relates to the theme
- you have not copied or plagiarized another person’s work
- you have not used generative AI to create any part of your submission
- your video is no longer than two minutes.
What happens next?
After submissions close on September 30, eligible entries will move to voting by ISSofBC staff.
The selected entries are expected to be announced in mid-October. ISSofBC will contact selected participants about featuring their work and biographies.
