2010 Oncology on Canvas℠ Competition

Call for Artists

In 2004, Lilly USA, LLC, and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship collaborated to create the Lilly Oncology on Canvas℠: Expressions of a Cancer Journey Art Competition and Exhibition. Held biennially, the competition invites individuals to express — through a combination of art and narrative — what the competition's Website describes as "the life-affirming changes that give [individuals'] cancer journeys meaning." Its intent is to honor everyone affected by a diagnosis of cancer: the patient, the patient's caregivers/lifegivers, friends, family members, healthcare providers. 

The inaugural competition attracted hundreds of entries from 23 countries, and the exhibition debuted at London's Royal College of Art and traveled, beginning in 2005, to more than 100 cities. The 2006 competition, which was opened to anyone affected by cancer, received more than 2,000 art entries from 43 countries and toured almost 200 cities worldwide. Two years later, in a competition open to residents of the United States and Puerto Rico, the number of entries rose to nearly 600. (To view artwork from the 2006 and 2008 exhibitions, which has been seen by millions of people, go here. The 2008 artworks are still touring. See the exhibition site list.)

The 2010 competition, which kicked off November 1, 2009, is open to any resident, age 18 or older, who is a resident of the United States or Puerto Rico and who has been diagnosed with any  type of cancer or is a family member, friend, caregiver, or healthcare provider of a person diagnosed with cancer.

Registration forms are accepted until June 10, 2010; you may submit online or by mail. Completed original artwork, a required written narrative of no more than 100 words that describes the "cancer journey" depicted in the artwork, and submission forms must be postmarked by June 30, 2010. 

Complete competition details are here. A set of FAQs provides a summary of eligibility requirements, eligible types of media (watercolor, oil, pastel, photography, acrylic, mixed media) and size requirements, and other useful and important information about the competition. Questions may be directed to the art director@mylooc.com.

All prizes awarded to finalists are donated to 501(c)3, tax-exempt, nonprofit cancer-related organizations of winners' choice. An independent panel of judges, which typically comprises past winners, cancer survivors, leading oncologists, journalists, patient advocacy group representatives, and the competition's art director, selects the winners.

The 2008 competition awarded 26 prizes to 20 cancer charities selected by the 19 winners. There were three "Overall Best of Exhibition" winners who were awarded first through third prizes totaling donations of $17,500; winners of the "Best of Participant Category" received prize donations of $1,000 each; and those awarded "Best of Participant Category in Each Art Medium" received prize donations of $1,000 each. 

Below are two videos that illustrate what the competition is about. A number of others are on YouTube, including this one from the Eli Lilly Oncology on Canvas℠ Website.

You can find Lilly Oncology on Canvas℠ on Twitter and FaceBook.