探花系列

Art Award

image

Applications for the 2026 Art Award
OPENING MARCH 29!


What is the Chair in Transgender Studies Art Award?

The Chair in Transgender Studies Art Award aims to highlight and uplift Trans+ art, culture and history, both locally and provincially. This is an opportunity to centre Trans+ brilliance and showcase community-based art work. It is our aim to make this a recurring, biennial Art Award that will feature new art forms every second year.

2026 Medium & Theme:

This year's award will feature cellphone photography with the theme "Trans+ history in the making." We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Who can apply?

  • Must be a resident of British Columbia
  • Must be 18 years of age or older
  • Priority will be given to Trans+ applicants, but allies are also welcome to apply if their work centres Trans+ experience

2026 Art Award Details

2026 Chair in Transgender Studies Art Award

One photograph will be chosen as the winner of our 2026 Art Award. This award will go to an artist who centres Trans+ existence in an exemplary and artistic way. Priority will be given to those who identify as Trans+, but all are encouraged to apply.

The winner will receive a plaque in their name, featuring the title of their winning photograph. Additionally, the photograph will be featured on the Chair in Transgender Studies' website and social media channels, along with the artist's statement.

As a part of Trans+ history, the winning photograph will be printed and preserved in the Transgender Archives. The award winner will also be invited to our 2027 Moving Trans History Forward (MTHF) conference in late March / early April (exact date TBA), where they will have the opportunity to present their photograph and showcase their work.

Additionally, a small collection of additional photographs will be chosen by our selection committee and featured as a slideshow on our website.

2026 Submission Criteria:

  1. Each artist may submit ONE photograph (JPEG or PNG file; resolution: min. 3000 × 4000 pixels; size: 16 MB max.)
  2. The photograph must be taken with a cellphone camera
  3. The photograph must either be taken by a Trans+ individual, or centre Trans+ existence
  4. Include an artistic statement detailing the image and its meaning (100 words max.)
  5. Any individuals featured in the photograph must sign a release form (download here)
  6. No generative AI images will be accepted; image editing software (e.g., Photoshop) is permitted
  7. Because we will post the winning photo on social media, it must adhere to

IMPORTANT DATES:
Contest opens: March 29, 2026
Contest closes: December 1, 2026
All applicants will be notified of results in early 2027. The winner will be awarded their plaque at our 2027 Moving Trans History Forward conference in late March / early April (exact date TBA).

CHECKLIST: Open this PDF (link PDF here) and use it as a checklist to ensure you don't miss anything!

SUBMISSION: Please fill out our to submit your photo