Young artists challenged to depict Canada through their eyes

REGINA — The Art Canada Institute (ACI) has launched the sixth annual Canadian Art Inspiration Student Challenge, a coast-to-coast competition inviting students in Grades 7 through 12 to step onto Canada’s largest art stage.

Under this year’s theme, “Canada Through My Eyes,” ACI calls on Canada’s young artists to reinterpret the country’s artistic legacy through their own voices, transforming celebrated works and ideas into original expressions for today’s generation.

Judges will select work by 10 students to be exhibited before thousands of collectors, curators, gallerists and art lovers at Art Toronto, Canada’s leading international art fair, taking place Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.

“Every generation must reimagine Canada for itself,” says Sara Angel, founder, executive director and publisher of the Art Canada Institute.

“Through this challenge, we invite young artists to enter into conversation with some of the most significant voices in Canadian art history and to respond with courage, imagination and originality. This is about empowering students to see that their creative voices matter nationally. Their vision of Canada matters.”

Entries will be reviewed by a national jury of leaders in Canadian art, including McMichael curator and writer Sarah Milroy, Beaverbrook curator, as well as Wolastoqey scholar and artist Emma Hassencahl-Perley, and internationally acclaimed artist Ken Lum.

Together, they represent decades of leadership across museums, academia, and contemporary art practice, bringing rigorous artistic standards and a broad national perspective to the selection process.

Inspired by Canada’s Most Influential Artists

At the heart of the 2026 Canadian Art Inspiration Student Challenge is intergenerational dialogue. Students are invited to engage directly with 14 pivotal Canadian artists, from historic trailblazers to groundbreaking contemporary voices and reinterpret their work through the lens of today’s youth.

The artists are organized into five themes that explore how Canada sees itself and how young creators see it now.

Theme 1: Symbols of Canada

This theme invites students to consider what represents Canada today. Drawing inspiration from Joyce Wieland’s bold nationalism in O Canada, Curtis Wilson’s reclamation of identity in Canadian Native Flag, and Charles Pachter’s iconic Canadian imagery, participants are encouraged to create a new symbol that reflects their own perspective on the country.

Theme 2: Landscapes in Canada

From Tom Thomson’s legendary northern scenes to William Kurelek’s narrative prairie compositions and Kazuo Nakamura’s contemplative abstractions, this theme explores how land shapes identity. Students are invited to create a work inspired by where they live, a place they have visited, or a landscape that holds personal meaning.

Theme 3: Canadian Pastimes

Through the intimate realism of Mary Pratt, the autobiographical storytelling of Oviloo Tunnillie, and the vibrant still-life compositions of Gathie Falk, this category reflects the rituals and routines that define everyday Canadian life. Students may respond by depicting a favourite pastime, cultural tradition, or moment of daily life.

Theme 4: Canadian Teams

Inspired by Alex Colville’s precise depictions of athletes and Serge Lemoyne’s dynamic hockey paintings, this theme explores sport, teamwork, ambition, and national pride.

Students are encouraged to create a work that reflects a Canadian sport, team, athlete, or defining sporting moment.

Theme 5: Portraits of Canadians

Identity and self-representation take centre stage in works by Jean Paul Lemieux, Denyse Thomasos, and Jin-me Yoon. This theme invites students to create a portrait of themselves or someone else within a distinctly Canadian context — exploring how identity is shaped by place, culture, and community.

The Road to the National Stage

How to Enter: